Murphy Cassone's Upset Highlights No. 23 Men's Tennis Loss
By: Claudia Schwartz
Box Score Tempe– On day two of the Diablos College Invitational, No. 23 Arizona State men's tennis (9-5) fell 4-2 to No. 15 Michigan State (14-1). Junior Murphy Cassone, who checked in at #9 in the most recent ITA singles rankings, was a bright spot in the Sun Devils' loss, after taking down #4 Ozan Baris in three sets.
ASU will play in the third place match tomorrow, March 3 at 10 a.m. at Kiwanis Park against No. 36 Michigan, a team the Sun Devils took down in their final match of the ITA Indoors Tournament upsetting the then-No. 13 Wolverines.
The doubles point came down to the final match for ASU, after Murphy Cassone and Jacob Bullard picked up a win, while Max McKennon and Bor Artnak fell to their Sparty opponent. Nicola Cigna and Daniel Phillips battled back to tie the match 5-5, but fell 5-7, and MSU picked up the doubles point.
MSU tacked on another point at position two, but a win from Ginat over #88 Max Sheldon made it a 2-1 match. Cinga was defeated at five, but Cassone's win on one again kept it a one point match. McKennon took Thanos to a tiebreak in set two, but ultimately fell, which allowed Michigan State to take the match 4-2.
Singles:
- #9 Murphy Cassone (ASU) def. #4 Ozan Baris (MSU) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4
- #19 Ronald Hohmann (MSU) def. #105 Bor Artnak (ASU) 6-1, 7-5
- Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. Max McKennon (ASU) 6-4, 7-6(7-5)
- Jacob Bullard (ASU) vs. David Saye (MSU) 6-3, 5-7, 3-4 unfinished
- Sebastian Collard (MSU) def. Nicola Cigna (ASU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-2
- Roi Ginat (ASU) def. #88 Max Sheldon (MSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
Order of finish: 2,6,5,1,3
Doubles:
- Ozan Baris/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. #26 Bor Artnak/Max McKennon (ASU) 6-2
- Murphy Cassone/Jacob Bullard (ASU) def. Ronald Hohmann/Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-3
- Graydon Lair/Max Shaldon (MSU) def. Nicola Cigna/Daniel Phillips (ASU) 7-5
Order of finish: 1,2,3
Up next: ASU will play in the third place match tomorrow, March 3 at 10 a.m. against No. 36 Michigan at Kiwanis Park in Tempe.