TEMPE, Ariz. – In a highly competitive match, Wichita State came up short in its season opener, falling 5-2 to Arizona State on Wednesday afternoon at Whiteman Tennis Center.
 
For the Shockers (0-1), it marked their second straight season-opening loss, and they dropped to 0-5 all-time against Arizona State (2-0). Wichita State earned three total victories on the day, one in doubles and two in singles, in the defeat.
 
In doubles, the Shockers competed well, applying pressure on the Sun Devils on all three courts. The Sun Devils withstood the pressure at No. 2 doubles, winning 6-3 over Felix Bockelmann-Evans and Ilias Worthington to take an early advantage.
 
The Shockers weren't out of it, winning back-to-back games at court one to draw even at 5-5 and pushing to a tiebreak at court three. At No. 3 doubles, Rodrigo Cruz and Pablo Roche Alcaya prevailed in the tiebreak, winning 7-6 (3), to record the first Shocker victory of the spring season. 
 
At No. 1 doubles, Alejandro Jacome and Luke Bracks rallied to force another tiebreak, but they were unable to fight off the Sun Devils, losing 7-6 (2), which secured the doubles point for Arizona State.
 
In singles, Arizona State built on its momentum, winning first sets on four of the six singles courts. Amir Milushev was the first to fall, losing 6-1, 6-4 at No. 3 singles. Jacome fell next 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1 singles in a match that was closer than the result would indicate. Both wins put the Sun Devils up 3-0.
 
Arizona State clinched the match at No. 4 singles with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Roche Alcaya, taking a 4-0 lead.
 
Playing the match out, No. 66-ranked Zaid Al Mashni defeated former Shocker Kristof Minarik 6-2, 6-3 at No. 5 singles for the first Wichita State singles win of the spring, making the score 4-1.
 
Next, Bracks lost a tightly contested match at court six, 6-3, 7-5, putting Arizona State up 5-1.
 
Worthington closed the afternoon with a 7-5, 5-7, 1-0 (3) super tiebreak victory, making the final score 5-2.