May 11, 2002
SAN DIEGO - The 29th-ranked San Diego State men's tennis team did not drop a set in advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, defeating Hampton, 5-0, in first round regional action at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
The Aztecs, which advanced to the NCAA second round for the third time in the last four seasons, will face fourth-seeded UCLA on Sunday at noon PDT.
San Diego State won its eighth consecutive match and improved to 18-8 overall. Hampton, the champion of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, ends the campaign with a 15-7 mark.
For the 12th consecutive match, the Aztecs clinched the doubles point. San Diego State received victories in number one doubles from the third-ranked duo of Oliver Maiberger and Ryan Redondo and from its number two pair and 52nd-ranked Felix Hardt and Valentino Pest.
San Diego State cruised in singles action, winning four straight-set matches en route to the victory. The Aztecs quickly made the score 3-0 with wins at number five singles from Redondo and at number three singles Hardt. Redondo, a sophomore, dropped just four games in claiming a 6-3, 6-1 victory. Hardt was a 6-1, 6-1 winner and became the fourth Aztec player this season to claim 20 singles victories.
Junior Valentino Pest clinched the match for the Aztecs, with a 6-4, 6-3 victory at number two. Before play could be suspended, Travis Hasson recorded a 6-4, 6-2 win in the number four slot.
NCAA First Round in Los Angeles: No. 29 San Diego State 5, Hampton 0
Doubles (SDSU wins point)
No. 1 - No. 3 Oliver Maiberger/Ryan Redondo (SDSU) def. Tomas Ibler/Pyung Koo Lee (Hampton) - 8-5No. 2 - No. 52 Felix Hardt/Valentino Pest (SDSU) def. Leonardo Casadei/Glauco Nascimento (Hampton) - 8-3No. 3 - Travis Hasson/Gabe Coren (SDSU) vs. Valter Paiva/Ladislav Rezac (Hampton) - Did Not Finish
Singles
No. 1 - No. 17 Oliver Maiberger (SDSU) vs. Pyung Koo Lee (Hampton) - Did Not FinishNo. 2 - Valentino Pest (SDSU) def. Tomas Ibler (Hampton) - 6-4, 6-3No. 3 - Felix Hardt (SDSU) def. Glauco Nascimento (Hampton) - 6-1, 6-1No. 4 - Travis Hasson (SDSU) def. Ladislav Rezac (Hampton) - 6-4, 6-2No. 5 - Ryan Redondo (SDSU) def. Valter Paiva (Hampton) - 6-3, 6-1No. 6 - Gabe Coren (SDSU) vs. Leonardo Casadei (Hampton) - Did Not FinishClinched Match: 2
Records: San Diego State (18-8), Hampton (15-7).