Men's Tennis Falls to No. 15 USC

SALT LAKE CITY – The No. 32 Utah Utes kicked off their last weekend of home matches and the conclusion of the regular season on Friday at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center. The Utes were defeated by No. 15 USC, 4-1.
 
The Utes had three very close matches during doubles play, making for tough competition. On court two, Francisco Bastias and Bruno Caula put up a fight but ultimately dropped their match 6-4 to the USC duo. Matches on courts one and three were also very tight, but the Franco Capalbo and Geronimo Espin Busleiman fell to 12th ranked Stefan Dostanic and Bradley Frye 6-4. As USC took the doubles point, the match on court three remained unfinished. Jayson Blando and Mathias Gavelin were leading 5-4.
 
As the match moved to singles, the Utes looked for the victory. On court one, Capalbo dropped his first set 6-2 to the fourth-ranked Stefan Dostanic and started the second when he retired, giving the match to USC, and the Trojans' lead grew to 2-0.
 
USC increased the lead to 3-0 on court five, where Gavelin fought against #99 Lodewijk Westrate. In a tight first set, the Trojans came away with the set win 7-5. Gavelin and Westrate continued to battle and had a highlight contest set, but Utah was edged again, 7-6 (5).
 
Utah collected its first point of the day in No. 2 singles. Bastias matched up with Bradley Frye but dropped the first set 6-3. Bastias battled back and won the second set 6-0, forcing a third set. Bastias jumped out to an early lead in the third set and claimed the set 6-3 for the victory.
 
The Trojans clinched the match on court six when Samuel Rubell won in three sets over Bruno Krenn. Krenn dropped the first set, 7-5, but won the second set, 6-3. In the third set, Krenn would fall 6-1, and the Trojans would take the match.
 
The final two matches would go unfinished. In No. 3 singles, Espin Busleiman dropped the first set, 6-4. He answered back with a second set 6-1 victory. In the third set against 49th ranked Peter Makk, USC led 4-3 when the match was called.
 
The final match of the day that was unfinished was the fourth singles. Bruno Caula won the first set, 6-3, over Ryan Colby. Colby answered back and won the second set 7-6 (5) to force a third set. The third set would never get started.
 
#15 USC 4, #32 Utah 1
Singles (1,5,2,6)
#4 Stefan Dostanic (USC) def. Franco Capalbo (UTAH), 6-2, 1-0, Retire
Francisco Bastias (UTAH) def. Bradley Frye (USC), 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 
#111 Geronimo Espin Busleiman (UTAH) vs. #49 Peter Makk (USC), 4-6, 6-1, 3-4 unf.
Bruno Caula (UTAH) vs. Ryan Colby (USC), 6-3, 6-7 (5)
#99 Lodewijk Westrate (USC) def. Mathias Gavelin (UTAH) 7-5, 7-6 (5)
Samuel Rubell (USC) def. Bruno Krenn (UTAH), 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
 
Doubles (2,1)
#12 Stefan Dostanic/Bradley Frye (USC) def. #33 Franco Capalbo/Geronimo Espin Busleiman (UTAH) 6-4
Peter Makk/Lodewijk Westrate (USC) def. Francisco Bastias/Bruno Caula (UTAH) 6-4
Jayson Blando/Mathias Gavelin (UTAH) vs. Paul Barretto/Samuel Rubell (USC) 5-4, unf. 
 
UP NEXT
The Utes will wrap up the regular season on Sunday when they host the UCLA Bruins. The Utes will honor senior Mathias Gavelin on Sunday. The match will begin at 2 p.m. MT.
 
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