Falcons Beat Idaho State, 4-3

Feb. 24, 2008

The Air Force men's tennis team snapped a three-match losing streak Sunday, defeating Idaho State, 4-3, at the Academy. The Falcons, who defeated ISU by the same score last weekend in Idaho, improved to 6-5 on the season.

The doubles action went down to the wire, as two of the three matches were extended to a tiebreaker. ISU's No. 1 team of Marc Pijoan and Danel Barrenechea defeated the AFA duo of sophomore Brett Rodgers and freshman Taylor Soster, 9-8(3). The No. 3 match also went the distance, as AFA shomore Mike Gies and freshman Johnny Buckingham downed Jeremy Atkin and David Kutchins, 9-8(8). The Bengals captured the doubles point as Javier Royo and Alex Buceta defeated sophomores Austin Francis and James Tomlin, 8-4, at the No. 2 spot.

In singles, Air Force won at Nos. 2 and 4, while ISU took the Nos. 1 and 3 spots to take a 3-2 lead. Francis won an exciting, three-set match at No. 2 over Royo, 6-2, 0-6, 6-4, while Soster won the No. 4 match over Buceta, 6-2, 7-6(3).

Pijoan won at the top spot for Idaho State, defeating Rodgers, 7-5, 6-2, while Barrenechea downed Tomlin, 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 3 position.

Buckingham and fellow freshman Alex Beaussart each won the first set at No. 5 and 6 singles, respectively, at which point Atkin (No. 5) and Kutchins (No. 6) were forced to retire for Idaho State to keep its travel plans.

The Falcons return to action on Saturday, March 1 against Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo., beginning at 1 p.m.

Air Force 4, Idaho State 3
Sunday, Feb. 24 @ USAFA, Colo.

Singles
1. Marc Pijoan (ISU) def. Brett Rodgers, 7-5, 6-2
2. Austin Francis (AF) def. Javier Royo, 6-2, 0-6, 6-4
3. Danel Barrenechea (ISU) def. James Tomlin, 6-4, 6-3
4. Taylor Soster (AF) def. Alex Buceta, 6-2, 7-6 (3)
5. Johnny Buckingham (AF) def. Jeremy Atkin, 6-4, ret.
6. Alex Beaussart (AF) def. David Kutchins, 6-1, 0-1, ret.

Doubles
1. Pijoan/Barrenechea (ISU) def. Rodgers/Soster, 9-8 (3)
2. Royo/Buceta (ISU) def. Francis/Tomlin, 8-4
3. Buckingham/Mike Gies (AF) def. Kutchins/Atkin, 9-8 (8)

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Players Mentioned

Alex Beaussart

Johnny Buckingham

Austin Francis

Brett Rodgers

Taylor Soster

James Tomlin

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