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ASU Men’s Tennis: Sun Devils fall on the road to Utah 4-3

By Carson Roberts

TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs on the field during the fourth quarter of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs on the field during the fourth quarter of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
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ASU men’s tennis failed to pick up their first conference win of the season in Saturday afternoon’s loss at Utah.

No. 34 Arizona State (11-7) suffered their third loss in as many games against Pac-12 competition, this time a 4-3 defeat to the No. 39 Utes (19-2).

The new program hasn’t been able to put it all together against conference foes. Previous matches against Stanford and Cal have also ended 4-3.

ASU started off the day strong by taking the doubles point, along with a 1-0 lead.

Tim Ruehl and Michaël Geerts were the first match to finish, topping Utah’s Randy Cory and Russell Benkaim. The 6-4 win brought ASU one step closer to the doubles point.

Makey Rakotomalala and Andrea Bolla, arguably ASU’s best pairing, lost to Joe Woolley and Egbert Weverink 6-4 on Court 2.

The point came down to the matchup on Court 3.

ASU’s Benjamin Hannestad and William Kirkman took part in a nail-biter with Dan Little and Azat Hankuliyev. Hannestad and Kirkman prevailed 7-6, earning the doubles point for the road team.

Following their success in doubles, the Sun Devils looked to put away the Utes in singles.

However, Utah had other plans.

Cory struck first for the Utes in a 6-2, 6-4 win over Ruehl, tying the score up at one apiece.

After the Utes tied the game, Rakotomalala restored the Devils’ lead with a 6-3, 7-6 victory over Weverink.

Eventually, singles points from David Micevski and Kirkman brought the score to 3-2.

Micevski beat Hannestad 7-5, 6-3. One of the Sun Devils’ strongest players, Hannestad’s second straight loss came as a surprise to some.

Kirkman narrowly edged Utah’s Woolley in a 7-5, 7-6 matchup on Court 3.

With two games remaining, the Sun Devils needed a win on one more court to claim their first Pac-12 matchup.

Little kept the match going for the Utes with his 7-5, 7-5 victory over Geerts.

Following the Court 1 result, the game was tied at 3-3 heading into a decisive three-set match.

The Court 4 match between Utah’s Santiago Sierra and Bolla was the afternoon’s only game that lasted three sets.

Sierra came out on top after taking the sets 3-6, 7-6, 6-2. His win gave Utah their second straight PAC-12 win after the Utes beat Arizona Friday afternoon.

Next: ASU Men’s Tennis: Sun Devils earn 4-1 win over Lobos

Still searching for their first conference victory, the Sun Devils look ahead to their April 6 matchup at Oregon.