Feb. 8, 2012

2011-12 Records | Live Streaming Video

Connect with us: Facebook | Twitter (@CalMensTennis)

Cal-Sacramento State Box Score (PDF)

BERKELEY - The 13th-ranked California men's tennis team (4-2) bounced back with a 6-1 victory at the Hellman Tennis Complex over visiting Sacramento State (0-3) on Wednesday, Feb. 8, after suffering its first two losses of the season the past weekend. After a tightly contested doubles point, the Golden Bears raced out to an early lead in singles and 42nd-ranked sophomore Ben McLachlan clinched the win for the Cal in under an hour.

"It was a good match for us to bounce back after last weekend," said head coach Peter Wright. "Sacramento State has got a solid team and we had to play some really good matches on a lot of courts. They came out and played us tough, today, so it was good for some of our guys to get in there; playing again and get a win. A couple of our guys had tough weekends and it puts us on track for Hawai'i."

The Bears got off to a good start by claiming wins at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles to secure the first point of the day. Cal's duo of senior Nick Andrews and Ben McLachlan gave the Bears the early lead after they defeated Sacramento State's Sean Kolar and Javier Millan, 8-5, at the top court. Just moments later, the Hornets' team of Roy Brandys and Aliaksandr Marksoo tied things up with an 8-2 win over freshman Gregory Bayane and senior Ahmed Ismail at court three.

The decisive match came down to court two where the tandem of junior Riki McLachlan and freshman Andrew Scholnick clinched things for the Bears. Scholnick--in his first-career dual match--was not bothered by the pressure and served out the final game to secure the doubles point for Cal with an 8-6 win over the Hornets' team of Aliaksandr Malko and Tom Miller.

On No. 2 singles, junior Carlos Cueto dropped only one game to Millan en route to a 6-1, 6-0 win that put the Bears ahead, 2-0. On court six, Ismail was able to hold off Jonathan Hultkrantz to push the Bears to the brink of victory, 3-0. Cal didn't have to wait long, as only a minute later, Ben McLachlan finished off a dominant 6-0, 6-2 win over Kolar to clinch the match for the Bears from court three.

With the match decided, Bayane extended Cal's lead to 5-0 with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Brandys on court five. The Hornets were able to get on the board for their lone point of the day when Marksoo toppled Riki McLachlan with a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 4 singles.

The final and most exciting matchup of the day was on the top court between Andrews and Malko. Malko was able to take the first set, 6-3, but Andrews fought his way back to tie things up with a scrappy 6-4 win in the second set. With the dual victory already secured for the Bears, the match went to a third-set match tiebreaker. Malko jumped out to an early 7-3 lead, but, typical of his day, Andrews fought back to take the tiebreaker, 10-8, and earn the final point of the day for Cal.

"I got a little frustrated, early," said Andrews. "I knew that I was being too aggressive, and that if I started to make my shots, then eventually the match would turn around. I would have liked to play better and more consistently throughout, but I fought hard and was able to get the win."

Junior Christoffer Konigsfeldt was unavailable for the Bears because he is competing on Denmark's Davis Cup Team in Slovenia, this week.

The Bears face off against Hawai'i, next, at 1:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Feb. 10, at Hellman Tennis Complex. Admission is free. Please visit CalBears.com for more information.

No. 13 California 6, Sacramento State 1
Hellman Tennis Complex | Berkeley, Calif.
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012
Records: California (4-2), Sacramento State (0-3)
Doubles
1. Andrews/B. McLachlan (CAL) def. Kolar/Millan (SAC); 8-5
2. R. McLachlan/Scholnick (CAL) def. Malko/Miller (SAC); 8-6
3. Brandys/Marksoo (SAC) def. Bayane/Ismail (CAL); 8-2
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2* (California wins doubles point)
Singles
1. Nick Andrews (CAL) def. Aliaksandr Malko (SAC); 3-6, 6-4, 1-0(8)
2. Carlos Cueto (CAL) def. Javier Millan (SAC); 6-1, 6-0
3. No. 42 Ben McLachlan (CAL) def. Sean Kolar (SAC); 6-0, 6-2
4. Gregory Bayane (CAL) def. Roy Brandys (SAC); 7-5, 6-3
5. Marek Marksoo (SAC) def. Riki McLachlan (CAL); 6-2, 6-4
6. Ahmed Ismail (CAL) def. Jonathan Hultkrantz (SAC); 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 2, 6, 3*, 4, 5, 1