No. 42 Cal Suffers Setback In Tempe

TEMPE, Ariz. – California men's tennis had a rough start to its road trip, with the No. 42 Golden Bears falling to Arizona State, 4-2, on Friday night at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
 
Cal's record stands at 10-6 (1-3 in the Pac-12). ASU improved to 6-11 (1-2 Pac-12).
 
The Wildcats clinched the doubles point when Fabien Salle and Max McKennon upset Cal's 28th-ranked duo of Yuta Kikuchi and Carl Emil Overbeck, 6-4, on court one.
 
Cal tied the match at 1-1 early in singles when freshman Derrick Chen defeated Christian Lerby, 6-2, 6-1, on court five.
 
But the Sun Devils won two of the next three matches to take a 3-2 lead. Sean Hill gave the Bears their second point with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over McKennon on court three.
 
Cal's loss was sealed when the 102nd-ranked Kikuchi lost to Murphy Cassone on court one, 6-3, 7-6(5).
 
"It's really disappointing," said Kris Kwinta, Cal's Peter Wright Director of Men's Tennis. "We're just not playing good tennis at this point. We're beating ourselves. We have to sit down, look at the tape, talk to the guys and figure some things out."
 
The Bears next play at No. 18 Arizona on Sunday at 12 p.m. MST.
 
Arizona State (6-11, 1-2 Pac-12) defeated No. 42 California (10-6, 1-3 Pac-12), 4-2
April 1, 2022, in Tempe, Ariz.
Whiteman Tennis Center
 
Doubles
1. Fabien Salle/Max McKennon (ASU) def. No. 28 Yuta Kikuchi/Carl Emil Overbeck (Cal), 6-4*
2. Jacob Bullard/Murphy Cassone (ASU) vs. Sean Hill/Lucas Magnaudet (Cal), 5-2 (Unfinished)
3. Christian Lerby/George Stoupe (ASU) def. Alex Chang/Philip Hjorth (Cal), 6-2
 
Order of Finish – 3, 1*
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. Murphy Cassone (ASU) def. No. 102 Yuta Kikuchi (Cal), 6-3, 7-6(5)^
2. Fabiene Salle (ASU) def. Philip Hjorth (Cal), 6-4, 7-5
3. Sean Hill (Cal) def. Max McKennon (ASU), 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Jacob Bullard (ASU) def. Carl Emil Overbeck (Cal), 7-5, 6-1
5. Derrick Chen (Cal) def. Christian Lerby (ASU), 6-2, 6-1
6. Lucas Magnaudet (Cal) vs. George Stoupe (ASU), 3-6, 6-4, 3-0 (Unfinished)
 
Order of Finish – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1^
^Clinched the overall match