USC
California
No. 1 USC Men Top No. 13 Cal 5-2
February 04, 2012 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 4, 2012
BERKELEY, CALIF. -- The No. 1 USC men's tennis team pushed through its tightest match of the season and delivered a still-decisive 5-2 win over No. 13 host California on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley. Two Trojans got tagged with their first dual-match singles losses of the year, but the USC strength down the line was still too great for the Bears to crack. USC improves to 6-0 on the year with today's nonconference win over Cal.
USC wrapped up the doubles point early with solid victories on courts one and three, thanks to domination from USC's Gomez/Quiroz on three and Hanfmann/Johnson at the No. 1 spot. Forced into a tiebreak to decide the lingering doubles match on court two, USC's Nguyen/Sarmiento slipped to a 7-6 (6) loss to Cal's #27 Cueto/B. McLachlan.
With the doubles point in their pockets, the Trojans pushed on to a 2-0 lead on a smooth 6-2, 6-1 win from Steve Johnson over Nick Andrews on court one. #48 Emilio Gomez took it to a 3-0 advantage on his 6-0, 6-3 win over Gregory Bayane at the No. 5 spot, but the Bears interrupted USC's roll to victory by snagging a point from court four when #42 Ben McLachlan upset USC's #33 Yannick Hanfmann 6-4, 6-4. The Trojans were undeterred, however. Robert Quiroz then backed up his freshman teammate with a 6-2, 7-5 blast of Ahmed Ismail from his No. 6 position, and the win was in USC's possession, up 4-1. #16 Daniel Nguyen added to the tally on a 6-4, 6-3 win over Christoffer Konigsfeldt next, leaving #12 Ray Sarmiento in a 10-game tiebreaker to decide his match with Carlos Cueto on court two. Cueto pulled it out to leave Sarmiento with his first dual-match loss of the year on a 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8) decision, but the Trojans still emerged victorious on the 5-2 final.
USC's next action takes the Trojans to Pepperdine for a nonconference matchup on Friday (Feb. 10) at 1 p.m. in Malibu.
#1 USC 5, #13 California 2
Feb. 4, 2012 -- Berkeley, Calif.
DOUBLES
(1) Hanfmann/S. Johnson (USC) def. #5 Andrews/Konigsfeldt (CAL) -- 8-3
(2) #27 Cueto/B. McLachlan (CAL) def. Nguyen/Sarmiento (USC) -- 7-6 (6)
(3) Gomez/Quiroz (USC) def. R. McLachlan/Murphy (CAL) -- 8-1
USC wins doubles point
Order of finish: 3, 1*, 2
SINGLES
(1) Steve Johnson (USC) def. Nick Andrews (CAL) -- 6-2, 6-1
(2) Carlos Cueto (CAL) def. #12 Ray Sarmiento (USC) -- 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (8)
(3) #16 Daniel Nguyen (USC) def. Christoffer Konigsfeldt (CAL) -- 6-4, 6-3
(4) #42 Ben McLachlan (CAL) def. #33 Yannick Hanfmann (USC) -- 6-4, 6-4
(5) #48 Emilio Gomez (USC) def. Gregory Bayane (CAL) -- 6-0, 6-3
(6) Roberto Quiroz (USC) def. Ahmed Ismail (CAL) -- 6-2, 7-5*
Order of finish: 1, 5, 4, 6*, 3, 2
Players Mentioned
