Arizona Takes Down Trojans to Advance to Semifinals

OJAI, Calif. - Arizona Men's Tennis proved victorious on the courts today in Ojai, taking down #53 USC 4-2 to advance to the semifinal round of the Pac-12 Championship tournament. 

Starting the day off strong, the Cats secured the doubles point with back-to-back wins on courts one and two. Finishing first was Arizona's Herman Hoeyeraal and Eric Padgham, taking down Karl Lee and Sam Rubell in a swift 6-2 match. Snatching the doubles point for the Cats was #31 Colton Smith and Jay Friend with a 7-5 win over Peter Makk and Oscar Weightman. 

The Cats faced a fierce back-and-forth battle in singles competition, dropping a match on court two before getting the first singles win of the day from #71 Gustaf Strom over Lodewijk Weststrate (6-4, 6-1). Trojan Volodymyr Iakubenko then took down Hoeyeraal 6-4, 7-6(5), leaving little room for error from the Cats. #20 Colton Smith put Arizona ahead once again with a straight-set 7-6(7), 6-4 victory over #76 Makk. Senior Nick Lagaev clinched the match for the Cats, taking down Rubell 6-3, 7-5. 

Arizona will go on to to play #61 Oregon Friday, April 26 at 4:00 p.m. MST. 

Results 
#11 Arizona 4, #53 USC 2

Doubles Competition
Order of finish: 2, 1

1. #31 Colton Smith/Jay Friend def. Peter Maak/Oscar Weightman 7-5
2. Herman Hoeyeraal/Eric Padgham def. Karl Lee/Sam Rubell 6-2
3. Sasha Rozin/Gustaf Strom vs. Volodomyr Iakubenko/Lodewiik Westsrate 5-5, unfinished 

Singles Competition
Order of finish: 2, 3, 4, 1, 6

1. Colton Smith def. Peter Maak 7-6 (9), 6-4
2. Oscar Weightman def. Jay Friend 6-3, 6-3
3. Gustaf Strom def. Lodewijk Weststrate 6-4, 6-1
4.  Volodymyr Iakubenko def. Herman Hoeyeraal 6-4, 7-6 (5)
5.  Casper Christensen vs. Karl Lee 6-1, 4-6, 4-1, unfinished
6. Nick Lagaev def. Sam Rubell 6-3, 7-5