Heartbreak for the Utah Women’s Tennis as the Men Make History
University of Utah freshman Franco Capalbo during NCAA Tennis match against Iowa at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on Friday, Feb. 21, 2021. (Photo by Cassandra Palor | The Daily Utah Chronicle)
February 21, 2022
The University of Utah women’s tennis team faced heartbreak this Saturday as they fell to Denver in a nail-biting finish and the men made history with the best start in school history moving to 13-0 on the year.
Utah Women vs. Denver
The Utah women faced off against Denver at home on Feb. 19 at 11 a.m. MST. The matchday started with doubles as Utah’s Lindsay Hung and Katya Hersh lost to Denver’s Toni Nelson and Tatum Burger 1-6.
The Utes lost the doubles point as Linda Huang and Madison Tattini lost to Britt Pursell and Camille V-Anderson of Denver 2-6. Anastasia Goncharova and Emily Dush of Utah faced Denver’s Anna Riedmiller and Andrea Burguete but the match went unfinished as the doubles point was already lost. Utah was up 5-2 before the match was called.
With the doubles point in Denver’s hand, the Utah women started singles on the right foot as Tattini beat Burger 6-2 and 6-1. However, Denver pulled it back as Huang faced Riedmiller and lost 1-6 and 4-6 while Pursell also won beating Dush in a three-set match 6-3, 0-6, and 2-6.
Hung won her game as she beat Burguete in a three-set match 2-6, 6-3, and 6-1. Goncharova pulled it back to even as she clutched up her three-set match against Anderson, winning 6-0, 4-6, and 6-3.
It all came down to Utah’s Anya Lamoreaux as she faced Nelson in the deciding match of the day. Sadly, Lamoreaux lost the match 4-6 and 5-7 in what was the most nail-biting moment of the year. The Utah women fell to 9-1 on the year in a heartbreaking end to the streak but the Utes will look to bounce back at home next week against arch-rivals BYU on February 26th at 5 pm and NAU on Feb. 27 at 11 a.m.
Utah Men vs. Drake
The Utah men were home this week as they faced Drake on Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. Bruno Caula and Francisco Bastias of Utah started the day right as they won their doubles match against Drake’s Matt Clegg and Reid Jarvis 6-1. Utes Jayson Blando and Mathias Gavelin secured the doubles point beating Drake’s Evan Fragistas and Olle Sonesson Lidholt 6-2.
With the doubles point already in hand, Utah’s Franco Capalbo and Geronimo Espin had their match called against Jeremy Schifris and Oliver Johansson of Drake. The score was 5-2 before the match went unfinished.
The Utes got off to a great singles start as Caula beat Fragistas 6-3 in both sets. Bastias faced Johansson and won 6-3 in both sets as Capalbo secured the singles point and the win beating Schifris 6-3 and 6-2. With the game already won Espin, Gavelin, and Krenn all had their matches go unfinished.
Utah Men vs. Montana
After cruising to 12-0 against Drake, the Utah men made history with the best start in school history and looked to continue the streak as they faced Montana State at home on Feb. 20 at 5 p.m.
Blando and Gavelin started with a win for the Utes as they beat Montana State’s Brad Buckland and Jamieson Nathan 6-3. Bastias and Caula secured the doubles point beating Montana State’s Manuel Monteiro and Nejc Sitar 6-3. Capalbo and Espin faced Daan Van Dijk and Matej Panik of Montana State but the match went unfinished with the doubles point already in hand.
The Utes swept singles as Capalbo beat Panik 6-1 in both sets while Caula faced Buckland and won 6-2 and 6-4. Espin secured the singles point and the win beating Nathan 6-3 and 6-1. Utah’s Rian Ta, Gavelin, and Bastias all had their matches go unfinished with the game already won.
The Utah men moved to a historic 13-0 on the season and are only looking stronger. The Utes will look to improve upon their historic start next week when they face Weber State at home on Feb. 26 at 5 p.m.
