BOCA RATON, Florida – The Utah State Aggies men’s tennis team suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat at the hands of Florida Atlantic on Tuesday at the Kimberly V. Strauss Tennis Center. It marked the fifth time this season that the Aggies have been involved in a match decided by a single point. Utah State now holds a 7-5 record as they prepare to enter Mountain West Conference play next week.
The Aggies started strong, securing the doubles point with victories at the top two positions. Sophomore Xavier Calvelo and freshman Jakub Medved dominated their opponents, achieving a 6-0 win at No. 1 doubles. After Florida Atlantic claimed a win at the third doubles position, senior Jean-Baptiste Badon and sophomore Dmitri Goubin battled to a 7-6 (1) victory at No. 2, giving Utah State a 1-0 lead.
However, Florida Atlantic mounted a comeback in singles play. The Owls initially tied the match with a win at the fourth court. Calvelo secured a point for the Aggies at No. 2 singles, but it came via opponent retirement although leading 7-6 (5), 4-2. Goubin continued his strong performance, adding another victory for USU with a 6-1, 7-5 win at the sixth position, putting the Aggies ahead 3-1. Despite this, Florida Atlantic rallied, winning the final three matches – two of which went to three sets – to clinch the 4-3 victory.
The match was closely contested, with several points decided by narrow margins. The Owls’ resilience proved to be the deciding factor, as they capitalized on opportunities in the later stages of the competition. Utah State will look to regroup and refocus as they transition into conference play.
Doubles Results
- No. 1 Doubles: Xavier Calvelo/Jakub Medved (Utah State) def. Mark Havlicek/Marek Pazdera (Florida Atlantic) 6-0
- No. 2 Doubles: Jean-Baptiste Badon/Dmitri Goubin (Utah State) def. Segundo Goity/Simon Myslivec (Florida Atlantic) 7-6 (1)
- No. 3 Doubles: Luca Miremont/Lucca Pignaton (Florida Atlantic) def. Eliot Nobel/Roman Venger (Utah State) 6-3
Singles Results
- No. 1 Singles: Mark Havlicek (Florida Atlantic) def. Jean-Baptiste Badon (Utah State) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
- No. 2 Singles: Xavier Calvelo (Utah State) def. Segundo Goity (Florida Atlantic) 7-6 (5), 4-2 (retirement)
- No. 3 Singles: Marek Pazdera (Florida Atlantic) def. Roman Venger (Utah State) 7-6 (5), 6-2
- No. 4 Singles: Simon Myslivec (Florida Atlantic) def. Eliot Nobel (Utah State) 6-4, 6-2
- No. 5 Singles: Jan Kusy (Florida Atlantic) def. Jakub Medved (Utah State) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
- No. 6 Singles: Dmitri Goubin (Utah State) def. Luca Miremont (Florida Atlantic) 6-1, 7-5
Utah State will return to the Sports Academy & Racquet Club to start Mountain West play with a two-match home stand. The Aggies will host UNLV on Friday, March 20, at 3 p.m. (MT), before taking on Nevada on Sunday, March 22, at 10 a.m. (MT). Fans can follow USU’s men’s tennis team on Twitter @USUMensTennis, on Facebook at /UtahStateMensTennis or on Instagram at USUMensTennis. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
The Aggies will need to quickly refocus as they prepare for the challenges of Mountain West competition. The upcoming matches against UNLV and Nevada will be crucial in establishing their position within the conference. The team’s ability to translate their doubles success into consistent singles victories will be key to their performance moving forward.
What are your thoughts on Utah State’s performance? Share your comments below and join the discussion.
