RENO, Nev. -Â Despite being limited to just five players due to health and safety precautions, Nevada men's tennis nearly overcame the odds against Utah Thursday before falling, 4-3, at McArthur Tennis Center.
Due to COVID-19 issues and contact tracing which forced the postponement of last Sunday's match against UC Davis, the Wolf Pack was down to just five players for Thursday's dual, meaning Nevada (5-6) was forced to forfeit its No. 3 doubles match and No. 6 singles match, conceding a point (No. 6 singles) to the Utes before first serve.
Utah (14-8), with the advantage of needing to win just one of the two doubles matches for the doubles point, grabbed the 2-0 lead as Geronimo Busleiman and Mathias Gavelin defeated
Loris Zisswiller and
Satchel Benn, 6-1.
But the Pack fought back valiantly in singles play, as Benn grabbed a quick 6-2, 6-2 victory over Gavelin at No. 4. Utah, however, used wins from Busleiman at No. 3 (6-4, 6-1 over
Juan Batalla) and Franco Capalbo at No. 1 (6-2, 6-3 over
Delmas N'Tcha) to clinch the dual.
Nevada picked up two more singles wins as
Isaac Nortey and
Loris Zisswiller provided solid three-set efforts. Nortey stormed back from dropping the first set to claim a 5-7, 6-0, 1-0 (11-9) victory over Slava Shainyan at No. 2, while Zisswiller outlasted Chris Heck, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 at No. 5.
Nevada returns to Mountain West play Saturday, hosting New Mexico for a noon dual.
Utah 4, Nevada 3 results
Doubles
1.
Isaac Nortey/
Juan Batalla (NEV) vs. Franco Capalbo/Slava Shainyan (UTAH) 5-3, unfinished
2. Geronimo Busleiman/Mathias Gavelin (UTAH) def.
Loris Zisswiller/
Satchel Benn (NEV) 6-1
3. Luis Flores/Chris Heck (UTAH) win by default
Order of finish: 3, 2
Singles
1. Capalbo (UTAH) def.
Delmas N'Tcha (NEV) 6-2, 6-3
2. Nortey (NEV) def. Shainyan (UTAH) 5-7, 6-0, 1-0 (11-9)
3. Busleiman (UTAH) def. Batalla (NEV) 6-4, 6-1
4. Benn (NEV) def. Mathias Gavelin (UTAH) 6-2, 6-2
5. Zisswiller (NEV) def. C. Heck (UTAH) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
6. Luis Flores (UTAH) wins by default
Order of finish: 6, 4, 3, 1, 2, 5
