Upcoming Event: Men's Tennis versus Utah Invitational on October 3, 2025
Men's Tennis
vs Utah Invitational
Saturday, October 12
Salt Lake City, UT
All Day
University of Utah
vs
Utah Invitational
Photo by: Steve Kinslow
Men's Tennis Completes Day Two of Utah invitational
10/12/2019 5:18 PM | Men's Tennis
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah men's tennis team has wrapped up day two of competition at the Utah Invitational. After starting off strong on Friday, the Utes picked up where they left off and were able to snag five out of six doubles matches during day two of action at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center.
The Utes opened the second day of the round robin tournament with two rounds of doubles matches Saturday morning. The duo of Russell Benkaim and Paul McCallie won both of their doubles matches, first cruising to a 6-1 victory against Sitar and Brown from Montana State. Benkaim and McCallie were also dominant in their second match, defeating Montana State's Espinoza and Daamgard with a 6-2 victory.
Mathias Gavelin and Azat Hankuliyev also won both of their doubles matches, starting off with a 6-2 win over Shin and Sepuvelda from Southern Utah, followed by another quick victory over Parker and Erro from SUU, 6-2. The third duo for Utah, freshmen Rian Ta and Rafeal Grovas, fell short in their first doubles match of the day to Tordoff and McCaig from SUU, with a score of 2-6. The duo bounced back in their next match against Stoner and Zelver from Montana State. Down 3-4 in the set, Grovas and Ta rallied to come out on top against Stoner and Zelver with a score of 6-4.
In singles, Benkaim continued his success from day one of competition as he was able to top Ortega from SUU, with a score of 6-3, 6-2. McCallie then kept things rolling with a win of his own, beating out Zelver from Montana State in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1.
Hankuliyev played in two singles matches today, coming out on top against opponents from Montana State. In his first match against Montiero, he cruised to a 6-0 win in the first set, but momentum shifted and he fell in the second set, 1-6. Hankuliyev then finished things off in the competitive third set with a 7-5 win. In his second match, he completed his undefeated day by cruising to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Wood.
Ta also competed in two singles matches on the day and came away with a three-set victory against Montana State's Daamgard after dropping the first set, with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 win. Ta then faced off against Stoner from Montana State and took the first set 7-6. Ta then fell in the final two sets 3-6, 1-6, with Stoner grabbing the victory.
Other Utes in singles action included Gavelin and Grovas, with Gavelin falling short in his match against Sitar from Montana State in a tight three-set battle, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6. Grovas dropped both matches he competed in, falling short in a narrow loss to Montana State's Espinoza 6-7, 3-6, followed by a loss against McCaig from Montana State, with a score of 3-6, 2-6.
The Utes will be back in action tomorrow for the final day of competition at the Utah Invitational. Doubles matches begin tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. MT at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center.
Utah Invitational – Day 2 Results
Doubles
Russell Benkaim/Paul McCallie (UU) def. Sitar/Brown (MSU), 6-1
Mathias Gavelin/Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Shin/Sepuvelda (SUU), 6-2
Tordoff/McCaig (SUU) def. Rian Ta/Rafael Grovas (UU), 6-2
Russell Benkaim/Paul McCallie (UU) def. Espinoza/Daamgard (MSU), 6-2
Mathias Gavelin/Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Parker/Erro (SUU), 6-2
Rian Ta/Rafael Grovas (UU) def. Stoner/Zelver (MSU), 6-4
Singles
Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Ortega (SUU), 6-3, 6-2
Sitar (MSU) def. Mathias Gavelin (UU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Espinoza (MSU) def. Rafael Grovas (UU), 7-6, 6-3
Paul McCallie (UU) vs. Zelver (MSU), 6-2, 5-7, 6-1
Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Montiero (MSU), 6-0, 1-6, 7-5
Rian Ta (UU) def. Daamgard (MSU), 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
McCaig (SUU) def. Rafael Grovas (UU), 6-3, 6-2
Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Wood (MSU), 6-2, 6-2
Stoner (MSU) def. Rian Ta (UU), 6-7, 6-3, 6-1
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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/ Men's Tennis
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