STILLWATER, Okla. – In its first match against a ranked opponent this season, San Diego men's tennis fell short at #21 Oklahoma State on Friday as the Toreros lost 4-1.
 
USD (3-2), competing for the first time outside of Southern California this duals season, overcame the lost doubles point when Nico Borter won the first singles match at No. 6. However, the Cowboys (6-2) quickly completed two wins in singles shortly after Borter's victory and eventually clinched the match at No. 3 despite a comeback attempt by freshman Sacchitt Sharrma.
 
"Overall, I thought it was a great match played by both teams," said USD head coach Ryan Keckley. "Oklahoma State is a well-coached and played the bigger points better than we did. We dug ourselves into a hole to start singles play and had a hard time climbing out of it. We made a great push to get out, but good teams at home won't let you come up for air if they can help it. We will regroup and focus our efforts on another great opportunity on Sunday."
 
Borter improved to 4-1 in singles this season with the 6-2, 6-2 win over Luke Hammond to tie the match at 1-1. It was the redshirt junior's second time competing at No. 6 this year.
 
While Borter evened the match, Oklahoma State and its three ranked singles players regained control of the match for the Cowboys. At No. 1, #35 Matej Vocel defeated #58 August Holmgren 6-2, 6-2 while #110 Dominik Kellovsky made it 3-1 Cowboys with a 6-3, 6-1 win over #39 Gui Osorio. It was Osorio's first singles match since January 25 against UCF.
 
Sharrma tried to extend the match for the Toreros by overcoming a hole in the second set against #87 Emile Hudd. The first-year Torero forced a tiebreaker in the second, but he fell in the tiebreaker to lose the match 6-3, 7-6 (4).
 
USD lost the doubles point for the first time in three matches with losses at No. 3 and 1.
 
The Toreros will stay in the state of Oklahoma and will play at #25 Oklahoma on Sunday at 11 a.m. PT/1 p.m. CT.
 
Results (in order of finish)
Doubles
No. 3: Kellovsky/Donnet (OSU) def. Sharrma/Norfeldt (USD) 6-2
No. 1: Vocel/Hudd (OSU) def. Holmgren/Gamerov (USD) 6-4
No. 2: Borter/Osorio (USD) vs. Draheim/Hammond 5-4 unfinished
 
Singles
No. 6: Nico Borter def Luke Hammond 6-2, 6-2
No. 1️: #35 Matej Vocel def #58 August Holmgren 6-2, 6-2
No. 2: #110 Dominik Kellovsky def #39 Gui Osorio 6-3, 6-1
No. 3: #87 Emile Hudd def Sacchitt Sharrma 6-3, 7-6 (4)
 
No. 4: Joel Gamerov vs. Mathieu Scaglia 7-6, 5-5 unfinished
No. 5: David Norfeldt vs. Etienne Donne 3-6, 6-3, 1-3 unfinished