University of California Athletics

Kian Raiszadeh

Men's tennis trio set to compete in USD Tournament

Feb. 2, 1998

THIS WEEK: Feb. 6-8 Univ. of San Diego Tournament San Diego All Day

NEXT ACTION: Feb. 14 UC IRVINE Berkeley Tennis Club 12 noon

ON TAP: Senior Kian Raiszadeh, junior Chris Santoso and freshman Scott Kintz will be the only Golden Bears in action this week as the trio travels to San Diego for the University of San Diego Tournament, Feb. 6-8. All three are slated to compete in the singles main draw, with Raiszadeh and Santoso teaming up in the doubles competition. The rest of the team will be idle until the Bears host UC Irvine, Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Berkeley Tennis Club.

PREVIOUS ACTION: The California men's tennis team (4-0) continued to roll through the early portion of their dual match schedule last week with victories over Washington, 7-0, and Oregon, 6-1. The Bears posted their third straight shutout in a tightly contested match versus the 40th ranked Huskies. The Bears got things rolling early taking the doubles point as Cal won two of three close matches. Cal then swept through singles play, winning all six contests, to seal the victory. Junior Bobby Mahal lead the way for the Bears at No. 1 singles with a solid 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over the nation's 23rd-ranked player, Robert Kendrick. Saturday, Cal kept its undefeated sting alive with a 6-1 victory over visiting Oregon. The Bears took all but one of the singles matches and two of the three doubles slots. Senior Minh Le, playing in the No. 2 slot for the second consecutive match, got things started for the Bears with a hard-fought three set victory over Oregon's Guillermo Carter 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. Cal went on to swept the Nos. 3-6 singles positions as seniors Kian Raiszadeh and Dave Sutton as well as freshmen Erik Dmytruk and Scott Kintz all posted victories for the Bears.

FIRST TIME'S THE CHARM: With Adrian Barnes, Nathan Jackmon and Chris Santoso all suffering injuries to varying degrees, head coach Peter Wright played three different doubles teams for the first time last weekend, with all three garnering victories. Mahal and Sutton teamed up for the first time against Washington and knocked of the duo of Prosavac/Rampazzo, 9-8, in the No. 3 slot. Versus Oregon, Santoso, who was unable to go in singles, teamed with Raiszadeh to defeat Arriaga/Thomsen at No. 2, 8-2. Also teaming together for the first time this season against the Ducks were the twosome of Joe Chrisman and Chris Cornell, which defeated Navarro/Hamdan, 9-8, at No. 3.

FRESHMEN CONTRIBUTING: Wright's 1997 recruiting class is already beginning to pay dividends for the Bears. Just four contests into the dual match season, the Bears have gotten winning contributions from Barnes, Dmytruk, Kintz and Chrisman. Barnes, who should be a constant figure at the top of the Bears singles lineup this season, registered victories in his first two dual matches versus Saint Mary's and Santa Clara in the No. 2 position. Dmytruk has appeared in all four of the Bears contests in the No. 5 spot and so far and is a perfect 4-0. Kintz has posted three singles wins for Cal, all in the No. 6 slot and Chrisman, who saw his first action of the season against Oregon, pitched in with a win at No.3 doubles.

SHUTOUT STRING SNAPPED: Heading into Saturday's contest versus Oregon, the Bears were a perfect 20-0 in their three dual matches, having shout out Saint Mary's, 6-0, Santa Clara, 7-0, and Washington, 7-0. But no streak lasts forever, and Cal's unblemished run ended Saturday when Oregon's Erwan Kergroach was able to outlast Mahal at No. 1 singles 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, to earn the Ducks their only point on the day. Nevertheless, it was the only dual match point Cal has surrendered on the year as the Bears won a sparkling 26-of-27 points on the season.

INJURY REPORT: Due to some key injuries, the Bears starting lineup has been altered from what was planed at the start of the year. Nathan Jackmon, Cal's projected No. 2 singles player, has yet to see dual match action due to a shoulder injury suffered at the Milwaukee Invitational. Barnes, who started two matches at No. 2, was rested against Washington and Oregon with a sore arm. And Santoso, who has been slowed with an ankle injury, was limited to doubles action last weekend but should be fit to play at San Diego. Wright expects all three to be available for the Bears next dual match versus UC Irvine.

CAL IN THE RANKINGS: After entering the 1997-98 campaign in the No. 41 slot according to the ITA's Rolex Preseason charts, the Bears climbed four spots in the fall rankings and now hold down the No. 37 position. Individually, Cal players rank as follows:

	Singles - 79. Bobby Mahal (Jr.)
	Doubles - 22. Bobby Mahal (Jr.)/Nathan Jackmon (Sr.)

NOTE: The ITA's Spring I rankings will be released Feb. 17.

THE COACHES: Peter Wright enters his fifth year at the helm of the Cal program. The ninth coach and fourth alumnus to lead the Bears, he boasts a 52-41 (.559) career dual match record and earned 1997 Pacific-10 Conference Southern Division Coach of the Year honors following last season. Wright is assisted by associate head coach Cordell Ho, who is also in his fifth year with the Bears.