BURLINGAME, Calif. – Playing its fourth straight match separated by just one point, the San Francisco men's tennis team notched a 4-3 win in clutch fashion over the visiting Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday evening.

"All matches we have played this year have been 4-3 with tough opponents!" noted USF head coach Pablo Pires de Almeida after the exciting finish. "The guys all piled on Paul and Ryan after their doubles match and finished with a lot of class shaking their opponent's hands."

Moved indoors to the Broadway Tennis Center due to rain, the Dons opened the evening with singles play, and fell behind 2-0 to the Bulldogs after dropping points at the Nos. 1 and 2 positions.

Mert Zincirli got USF on the board with the strong 6-1, 6-3 win over Henrique Osorio at the No. 3 position. Playing from the No. 4 spot in the lineup, Oliver Poysti knotted the match score after his 6-4, 7-5 victory against Youssef Hassan. The Dons went up 3-2 in the match with Christian Brockstedt's tiebreak win at No. 6, but the Bulldogs quickly tied it up after notching the come-from-behind point from the No. 5 position.

With only two courts in play, the Nos. 1 and 2 doubles pairings started off doubles play. Both tight battles, Brocktedt and Poysti were able to register the 7-6 (5) win in the No. 2 slot to open the action. Fresno State's No. 1 duo of Euan McIntosh and Patrik Pech managed the 7-5 win and the night hinged on the No. 3 doubles match.
Paul Giraud and Ryan Marker eased to the 6-2 win and sent the Bulldogs home empty-handed. This is the first doubles victory for the tandem of Giraud and Marker, and it couldn't have come at a more crucial moment.

"It all came down to No. 3," remarked Pires de Almeida, "and they came out and took care of business with clutch disciplined doubles to clinch the match for us."

Next up, USF faces its toughest test to date travelling to Southern California to take on the No. 8 Trojans on Feb. 10.

 

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USF 4, Fresno State 3
Saturday, Feb. 4 | Burlingame, Calif. (Broadway Tennis Center)
 
Singles competition – Order of finish (2, 1, 3, 4, 6, 5)
1. Xander Veys (FS) def. Johan Joenhagen (USF); 6-3, 6-1
2. Euan McIntosh (FS) def. Ryan Marker (USF); 6-3, 6-0
3. Mert Zincirli (USF) def. Henrique Osorio (FS); 6-1, 6-3
4. Oliver Poysti (USF) def. Youssef Hassan (FS); 6-4, 7-5
5. Mantas Bugailiskis (FS) def. Woravin Kumthonkittikul (USF); 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
6. Christian Brockstedt (USF) def. Patrik Pech (FS); 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5)

Doubles competition – Order of finish (2, 1, 3)
1. McIntosh/Pech (FS) def. Joenhagen/Zincirli (USF); 7-5
2. Brockstedt/Poysti (USF) def. Osorio/Vyes (FS); 7-6 (5)
3. Marker/Giraud (USF) def. Hassan/ Bugailiskis (FS); 6-2