March 25, 2007
HONOLULU - Battling windy and rainy conditions, the 69th-ranked San Diego State men's tennis team posted a huge upset on Sunday with a hard-fought 4-3 triumph over 38th-ranked California during the 2007 Aloha Invitational at the UH Tennis Complex. The Aztecs (9-6) persevered through four weather delays to capture their first-ever victory over the Golden Bears (9-6) in 10 attempts and kept their current winning streak alive at four matches.
Under threatening skies, the two sides agreed to play singles first in hopes of recording an official match with the requisite four team points. Despite intermittent showers, all six encounters were completed as SDSU and Cal notched three wins apiece. Achim Ceban gave the Aztecs a 1-0 lead after dispatching Kallim Stewart, 6-4, 6-4, at the No. 5 position. The Bears evened things up, however, when Christian Groh suffered a 6-2, 6-2 setback at the hands of Tyler Browne over on the No. 2 court.
With the score tied at 1-1, Juan Gomez knocked off Daniel Sebescen by an identical 6-2, 6-2 count at the fourth spot, while at the top of the ladder, Dickhardt endured a grueling three-set affair against Pierre Mouillon, 6-1, 6-7, 6-0, in a battle of nationally ranked players.
SDSU had two chances to sneak away with the victory, but Cal spoiled those plans by grabbing wins at Nos. 6 and 3, respectively. Robert Sabo dropped a 6-2, 6-4 decision to Ken Nakahara, while Anthony Gomez gave a valiant effort against Eoin Heavey before falling in three sets, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4.
The stage was set for a closely contested round of doubles, and the two teams did not disappoint. The 17th-ranked duo of Dickhardt and Groh outlasted Browne and John Pettit by an 8-5 count on the No. 1 court, while Billy Timu and Juan Gomez escaped in an 8-6 thriller over Mouillon and Sebescen at No. 3 to complete the eight-hour marathon. With the Aztecs' upset etched in stone, the remaining match, featuring the tandem of Ceban and Anthony Gomez versus the duo of Heavey and Geoff Chizever, was not completed.
SDSU opens Mountain West Conference action next weekend when it plays host to UNLV, New Mexico and TCU on successive days, March 30-April 1, at Aztec Tennis Center.
#69 San Diego State 4, #38 California 3
UH Tennis Complex
Honolulu, Hawaii
Doubles
1. #17 Markus Dickhardt/Christian Groh (SDSU) def. Tyler Browne/John Pettit (Cal), 8-5
2. Anthony Gomez/Achim Ceban (SDSU) vs. Eoin Heavey/Geoff Chizever (Cal), DNF
3. Billy Timu/Juan Gomez (SDSU) def. Pierre Mouillon/Daniel Sebescen (Cal), 8-6
San Diego State wins doubles point
Singles
1. #52 Markus Dickhardt (SDSU) def. #20 Pierre Mouillon (Cal), 6-1, 6-7, 6-0
2. Tyler Browne (Cal) def. #92 Christian Groh (SDSU), 6-2, 6-2
3. Eoin Heavey (Cal) def. Anthony Gomez (SDSU), 6-3, 6-7, 6-4
4. Juan Gomez (SDSU) def. Daniel Sebescen (Cal), 6-2, 6-2
5. Achim Ceban (SDSU) def. Kallim Stewart (Cal), 6-4, 6-4
6. Ken Nakahara (Cal) def. Robert Sabo (SDSU), 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish
Singles: 5, 2, 4, 1, 6, 3
Doubles: 1, 3*
*match-securing victory