BRONCS DOWN IDAHO STATE, 4-3
EDINBURG, TX-For the second consecutive match, the doubles point was critical in The University of Texas-Pan American men's tennis match.
Saturday, the Broncs won the crucial point, then won three of six singles to defeat Idaho State, 4-3, at the Cadet Gymnasium Indoor Tennis Courts Saturday afternoon.
Freshman Oliver Steil (Brunssum, The Netherlands/AF International School) and senior Neil Barraclough (Coventry, England/Cardinal Newman HS/Seward County CC) lost to Hestian Stoica and Butch Stavridis at number two doubles, 8-6, while at number three, senior Matt Gower (Somerset, England/Kings of Wessex HS/St. Francis-PA) and freshman Nik Porter (Tunbridge Wells, England/Bennett Memorial School) defeated Jemre Okoh and Chris Sadek, 8-4. At number one doubles, Texas-Pan American's team of sophomores Filip Koziell (Calgary, AB/Bishop Carroll HS) and Jeremy Salvo (Coquitlam, BC/Centennial Secondary) saw the Bengals' team of Malcolm Swan and Adam Krupp come from behind to tie the match at 8-all, forcing a tie-breaker. Koziell and Salvo fell behind in the tie-breaker, 6-3, but fought off three match points and came back for an 8-6 victory to give the Broncs the doubles point.
In singles, Koziell defeated Stoica, 6-4, 6-3, at number two, Steil downed Pablo Garces, 6-4, 6-4, at number four, and Porter topped Chris Sadek, 6-3, 6-2, at number six.
"The doubles point was huge today," said UTPA Head Coach Todd Chapman. "It came down to number one, and we had three match points at 8-7, lost, and got into a tie-breaker. Idaho State had three match points at 6-3, but we fought back and won the doubles point, which gave us momentum going into singles. It was a good win. Idaho State is a good team, and I was proud of the way we came back after we lost yesterday. Hopefully, we can continue to play like that in every match."
The Broncs improved to 5-4 with the victory, while Idaho State dropped to 3-8. The Broncs will finish their three-match road trip with a match against Boston University.
MT-IDAHO STATE-030803
TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN 4, IDAHO STATE 3-MEN
DOUBLES
1-Filip Koziell and Jeremy Salvo, UTPA, defeated Malcolm Swan
and Adam Krupp, ISU, 9-8
2-Hestian Stoica and Butch Stavridis, Idaho State, defeated Oliver Steil and
Neil Barraclough, 8-6
3-Matt Gower and Nik Porter, UTPA, defeated Jemre Okoh and Chris Sadek, 8-4
SINGLES
1-Swan, Idaho State, defeated Tom Mangelschots, 7-6, 6-4
2-Koziell, UTPA, defeated Stoica, 6-4, 6-3
3-Stavridis, Idaho State, defeated Gower, 6-3, 6-4
4-Steil, UTPA, defeated Pablo Garces, 6-4, 6-4
5-Okoh, Idaho State, defeated Salvo, 3-6, 6-4, (10-8)
6-Porter, UTPA, defeated Sadek, 6-3, 6-2