Score: Arizona State 4, VCU 2
Location: Starkville, Miss.
Records: VCU 1-2 , Arizona State 4-1
The Short Story: VCU began the ITA Kickoff Weekend with a showdown against previously undefeated No. 12 Mississippi State. The Rams battled in a close 4-3 match to take their first victory of the season and advance to the final match of the regional.
Opening Serve
- Senior Matisse Bobichon, currently ranked at 90 in ITA singles, fell in a touch match to a top-ten ranked opponent in #10 Murphy Cassone
- Freshman Hamza El Amine and junior German Samofalov both fell in close tiebreaker sets
- Junior Oscar Pinto Sansano battled in three close sets for his third consecutive victory
- Sophomore Romain Gales handled his match in two sets for VCU's other point of the match
Singles results
1. #10 Murphy Cassone (ASU) def. #90 Matisse Bobichon (VCU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Roi Ginat (ASU) vs. #78 Mathis Bondaz (VCU) 6-3, 3-6, 5-5, (unfinished)
3. Oscar Pinto Sansano (VCU) def. Max McKennon (ASU) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
4. Jacob Bullard (ASU) def. Hamza El Amine (VCU) 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 6-1
5. Romain Gales (VCU) def. Martin Vergara (ASU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Roi Ginat (ASU) def. German Samofalov (VCU) 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7)
Order of finish: 5, 1, 3, 4, 6
Doubles results
1. Murphy Cassone/Martin Vergara (ASU) def. Matisse Bobichon/Romain Gales (VCU), 6-1
2. Bor Artnak/Max McKennon (ASU) def. Oscar Pinto Sansano/German Samofalov, (VCU), 6-3
3. Jacob Bullard/Constantinos Koshis (ASU) def. Mathis Bondaz/Hamza El Amine (VCU), 5-5 (unfinished)
Order of finish: 1, 2
Up next: The Rams will play their home opener on Friday, February 2nd at 3 p.m. against UPenn at Thalhimer Tennis Center.