For the first time ever, the U men’s tennis team competed against two teams in one day. It just so happened to be the Utes’ first two competitions of the season.
The team downed both Montana State and in-state rival Utah State by identical 6 1 scores.
“I felt like the guys fought pretty hard and did a good job,” said head coach F. D. Robbins after the win against Utah State. “That’s all we ask.”
The two-match day drained the Utes emotionally more than physically, but Robbins was pleased with the way the team weathered the storm.
“Sometimes it’s hard to get up for two matches in the same day,” he said.
The Utes dominated both matches, only losing one singles event per match. They won all six of their doubles matches.
Against Montana State, Corrie Scheepers, Nik Yip, Daniel Lohff, Tyler Poulson and Kaisorn Chaichana all won their singles events.
The doubles events were convincing as well. David Mercier/Yip, Carlsson/Poulson and Scheepers/Jonathon Engelbrecht all won their matches.
They defeated Utah State with similar results. Scheepers, Yip, Carlsson, Lohff and newcomer Tobias Tangber all took singles victories.
Yip’s three-set victory over USU’s Clayton Thomas was especially difficult, escalated by Yip’s physical state.
“I had a really bad headache and I was pretty tired, but I was able to pull through,” Yip said.
Mercier/Yip, Carlsson/Poulson and Scheepers/Engelbrecht won all of the doubles events.