CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State men's tennis team got back on the winning track Saturday, opening Horizon League play with a 6-1 victory over Green Bay.
Cleveland State vs. Green Bay PDF Box Score
From The Sidelines
"This was a great way to start off the Horizon League season, overall it was a great mental effort from the team and everyone competed really hard to get the league slate started off on the right foot. The doubles point got us off to a great start, thanks to our new teams looking the best they have looked since starting to play together. Everyone also came to battle in singles, and although we were a little banged up, there were no excuses on the court and everyone found a way to put a good battle on the court." – Head coach Brian Etzkin
Match Notes
· 2018 Record: 10-8, 1-0 HL
· The Vikings now stand at 11-5 in Horizon League openers, and have won two straight league openers.
· Luke Phillips recorded his 20th singles win of the year with his victory at No. 3 singles, becoming the third Viking to achieve the feat this year.
· Cleveland State now owns an 8-1 record when playing in the Medical Mutual Tennis Pavilion this season.
· Benjamin Slade is now just five wins shy of earning a spot on the CSU Singles Wins List, finishing the match with 53 career victories.
The Points
· The Vikings got the early 1-0 lead after picking up the doubles point, with Nico Mostardi and Benjamin Slade earning a 6-2 victory at No. 1 doubles and Luke Phillips and William Malm posting a 6-3 win at the No. 2 spot.
· Nico Mostardi gave Cleveland State a 2-0 advantage with a win at the top of the singles lineup, earning a 7-5, 6-0 victory. Mostardi now has a team-best 21-6 overall record this season and stands at 9-2 this spring – with all 11 matches coming at No. 1 singles.
· Matthew Terry posted the second singles win of the day, notching a 6-2, 6-3 victory at the No. 2 spot. Terry, who has won nine of his last 13 matches, stands at 21-9 overall this year and 9-6 this spring.
· Gabriel Evtimov posted the clinching point of the match with a win at No. 5 singles, earning a 6-1, 7-6(1) victory. Evtimov is now 6-9 this spring.
· Luke Phillips earned a 7-5, 6-2 victory at No. 3 singles, giving Cleveland State a 5-1 advantage in the match. Phillips is now 20-10 on the year and 10-6 in dual match play.
· Benjamin Slade posted the final singles point of the day, notching a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 three-set victory. Slade has now won seven of his last nine matches, and stands at 17-11 overall this season, and owns a team-best 11-5 singles record this spring.
Up Next
· Cleveland State will continue Horizon League play next weekend, hosting Youngstown State on Saturday, March 31.
The Results
Doubles
1. Slade/Mostardi (CSU) def. Kraenzler/Ling (GB), 6-2
2. Phillips/Malm (CSU) def. Ridout/Triebe (GB), 6-3
3. McDowall/Croxford (GB) def. Radosevic/Terry (CSU), 6-2
Singles
1. Nico Mostardi (CSU) def. Florian Kraenzler (GB), 7-5, 6-0
2. Matthew Terry (CSU) def. James Ling (GB), 6-2, 6-3
3. Luke Phillips (CSU) def. Charlie Croxford (GB), 7-5, 6-2
4. Benjamin Slade (CSU) def. Miles McDowall (GB), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
5. Gabriel Evtimov (CSU) def. Tony Leto (GB), 6-1, 7-6(1)
6. Ivan Radomirovic (GB) def. William Malm (CSU), 6-4, 6-2
