March 23, 2018
SAN DIEGO – In the midst of a season-long losing skid, San Diego State was unable to find relief on Friday, falling to Washington by a 5-2 count in a non-conference dual match at Aztec Tennis Center.
With the defeat, SDSU (2-15) dropped its eighth in a row, while the Huskies (10-7) recorded their second straight triumph.
Despite the setback, the Aztecs played tough throughout the afternoon, with five sets decided by a tiebreaker in singles competition.
However, SDSU found itself trailing 1-0 after doubles play, as Rafael Gonzalez Almazan and Sander Gjoels-Andersen suffered a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Jack Davis and Jake Douglas in the No. 3 position, while Raul de la Torre and Jan Kirchhoff experienced an identical fate in the No. 2 slot against Piers Foley and Mitch Stewart.
Over on court No. 1, the newly minted tandem of Arnaud Restifo and Nicholas Mitchell had their match suspended against Kawika Lam and Enzo Summer with the score deadlocked at 6-6.
The Aztecs fell further behind when Ignacio Martinez was upended by Summer at No. 3 singles, 7-5, 6-1, before the Scarlet and Black finally dented scoreboard on Raul de la Torre's 6-4, 6-2 conquest of Sebastian Hawken at No. 6 in his first singles action of the spring.
However, Washington responded with victories by its two ranked players at the top of the ladder to secure the match. Stewart, who landed in the 80th spot in the latest ITA poll, dispatched Gjoels-Andersen in the second position, 6-3, 7-6(0), while No. 82 Douglas rallied from an early deficit to take down Restifo on court one, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
With the outcome no longer in doubt, the two remaining encounters were allowed to finish and both were heated affairs. Gonzalez Almazan outlasted Davis in a super-tiebreaker at No. 5, 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 10-6, while Kirchhoff found himself in a marathon battle in the fourth spot with Amit Batta before falling in three sets, 6-1, 6-7(6), 7-6(5).
UP NEXT
San Diego State will square off against its final non-conference opponent of the season next week when Eastern Washington invades Aztec Tennis Center on Tuesday, March 27, starting at 2 p.m. PT.
Washington 5, San Diego State 2
March 23, 2018
San Diego, Calif.
Aztec Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Kawika Lam/Enzo Summer (UW) vs. Nicholas Mitchell/Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-6 DNF
2. Piers Foley/Mitch Stewart (UW) def. Raul de la Torre/Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU), 6-3
3. Jack Davis/Jake Douglas (UW) def. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan/Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2
Washington wins doubles point
Singles
1. #82 Jake Douglas (UW) def. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
2. #80 Mitch Stewart (UW) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 6-3, 7-6(0)
3. Enzo Summer (UW) def. Ignacio Martinez (SDSU), 7-5, 6-1
4. Amit Batta (UW) def. Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU), 6-1, 6-7(6), 7-6(5)
5. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Jack Davis (UW), 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 10-6
6. Raul de la Torre (SDSU) def. Sebastian Hawken (UW), 6-4, 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 6, 2, 1*, 5, 4
* Match-clinching victory