April 7, 2010
SAN DIEGO - Dramatic wins are becoming the norm for the San Diego State men's tennis team.
For the second consecutive match and the third time in its five outings, the Aztecs claimed a 4-3 victory, this time disposing of cross-town foe San Diego at the USD West Tennis Courts. With the team score tied at three and trailing 6-5 in the third set, San Diego State sophomore Luis Rattenhuber broke his opponent and rattled off a 7-1 victory in the tie-breaker to record a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (1) at number four singles.
The victory improved San Diego State's all-time record to 15-9 against the Toreros and marked the fourth consecutive year that the Aztecs have prevailed in the series.
"It was another great Aztec victory," SDSU head coach Gene Carswell said. "With the match on the line, Luis played his best tennis. I think he came of age today, battling back late in the third set and then closing out in front of a big crowd. We won't forget this match soon."
San Diego State, which reentered the national rankings at No. 75 this week, has now won two straight matches and is victorious in four of its last five outings. The 58th-ranked Toreros fell to 9-7 overall.
"I think we are coming into our own," Carswell said. "We have been preparing to play well and that is carrying over into matches."
The Aztecs swept all three doubles matches, including an 8-4 victory for the Aztecs' nationally-ranked team of Juan Gomez and Luis Rattenhuber. SDSU led 1-0 entering singles play.
The Aztecs quickly built a 3-0 lead when Giovanni Vaglietti and Andre Feliz recorded straight-set victories at number three and number five singles. San Diego claimed the next three singles matches, setting the stage for a winner-take-all match at number four singles.
SDSU returns to the Aztec Tennis Center for a pair of matches next Friday, entertaining UC Riverside at 10 a.m. PT and Air Force at 3 p.m. PT.
No. 75 SDSU 4, No. 58 San Diego 3
USD West Tennis Courts
DOUBLES
1. Vaglietti/Vladimirschii (SDSU) def. Jackson/Schive (USD) - 8-4
2. No. 76 Gomez/Rattenhuber (SDSU) def. Powers/Visy (USD) - 8-4
3. Feliz/Schulz van Endert (SDSU) def. Bubnic/Hashem (USD) - 8-4
Order of Finish: 2, 1*, 3
* - clinched doubles point
SINGLES
1. Dean Jackson (USD) def. Achim Vladimirschii (SDSU) - 7-6 (9-7), 6-4
2. Nikola Bubnic (USD) def. Juan Gomez (SDSU) - 6-4, 6-2
3. Giovanni Vaglietti (SDSU) def. Thibaut Visy (USD) - 6-1, 6-1
4. Luis Rattenhuber (SDSU) def. Nils Schive (USD) - 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (1)
5. Andre Feliz (SDSU) def. Casey Powers (USD) - 6-1, 6-2
6. Abdullah Hashem (USD) def. Jakub Kowalski (SDSU) - 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 5, 2, 1, 6, 4*
* - clinched team match
Team Records: USD 9-7, SDSU 6-11