Feb. 16, 2008
TUCSON, Ariz. - The 47th-ranked San Diego State men's tennis team found its way back to the win column on Saturday, upending No. 57 Minnesota, 5-2, in a neutral-site clash at the University of Arizona's Robson Tennis Center in Tucson, Ariz. With the victory, the Aztecs ended a two-match slide to even their record at 2-2, while the Golden Gophers suffered their third straight loss to fall to 1-5 on the season.
SDSU set the tone early in doubles competition as the duo of Andre Feliz and Matan Shitrit encountered minimal resistance en route to an 8-0 pasting of Dino Bilankov and Derek Peterson at the No. 2 position. The Scarlet and Black then clinched the pivotal point after the tandem of Achim Ceban and Jordan Colman outlasted Minnesota's Adam Altepeter and Chi Pham by an 8-5 count at the No. 3 spot. With a 1-0 lead quickly in the Aztecs' possession, the two sides agreed to shorten the match on the No. 1 court, where Bartosz Golas and Juan Gomez broke the serve of Sebastian Gallego and Raoul Schwark to claim a 5-3 triumph and complete the sweep.
SDSU increased its lead to 3-0 early in singles play after Danny Heidecker pinned a 6-1, 6-1 defeat on Pham in the fifth position, while Shitrit also prevailed in two sets over Pierre Dumas, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 4. Minnesota gave itself a glimmer of hope when Bilankov dispatched Ceban, 6-3, 6-1, on the No. 2 court; however, any designs of a Gopher comeback were soon dashed as Feliz cruised past Altepeter 6-1, 6-1, in the sixth spot, giving the Aztecs the requisite fourth point for the team victory.
The two teams then split their remaining two matches, which both took three sets to complete. At center court, Golas could not maintain an early lead against Schwark, ultimately dropping a 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 decision to the 46th-ranked player in the country. Meanwhile, Gomez pulled away in the third set of his encounter with Gallego en route to a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 triumph at the No. 3 position.
San Diego State will remain in Tucson to face No. 69 Arizona on Monday, Feb. 18, beginning at noon MST. The Scarlet and Black will then welcome Memphis to Montezuma Mesa for its 2008 home opener on Sunday, Feb. 24, starting at noon PST.
No. 47 SAN DIEGO STATE 5, No. 57 MINNESOTA 2
Robson Tennis Center
Tucson, Ariz.
Doubles
1. Bartosz Golas / Juan Gomez (SDSU) def. Raoul Schwark / Sebastian Gallego (Minn), 5-3
2. Andre Feliz / Matan Shitrit (SDSU) def. Dino Bilankov / Derek Peterson (Minn), 8-0
3. Achim Ceban / Jordan Colman def. Adam Altepeter / Chi Pham (Minn), 8-5
San Diego State win doubles point
Singles
1. #46 Raoul Schwark (Minn) def. Bartosz Golas (SDSU), 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
2. Dino Bilankov (Minn) def. Achim Ceban (SDSU), 6-3, 6-1
3. Juan Gomez (SDSU) def. Sebastian Gallego (Minn), 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
4. Matan Shitrit (SDSU) def. Pierre Dumas (Minn), 6-1, 6-2
5. Danny Heidecker (SDSU) def. Chi Pham (Minn), 6-1, 6-1
6. Andre Feliz (SDSU) def. Adam Altepeter (Minn), 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish
Doubles: 2, 3, 1
Singles: 5, 4, 2, 6*, 1, 3
*match-clinching victory