SAN DIEGO – San Diego State wraps up its six-match homestand this weekend when it battles the University of San Francisco in a non-conference clash on Sunday, Feb. 17, at Aztec Tennis Center. Due to the threat of rain, first serve has been moved up three hours to is set for 9 a.m. PT. Check GoAztecs.com for any weather-related time changes as they become necessary.
SDSU (2-3) will be looking to snap a two-match slide after dropping a pair of decisions last week, falling to then-No. 23 Alabama 5-2, followed by a narrow 4-3 setback to Northern Arizona.
The Aztecs have been paced by sophomore Jan Kirchhoff, who owns a team-best 14-6 singles record after winning his last four encounters alternating between the fourth and fifth positions. Senior captain Sander Gjoels-Andersen has also given the Scarlet and Black a boost with four victories of his own this spring, while junior Rafael Gonzalez Almazan is 3-0 in the No. 6 spot and 11-8 overall.
In addition, Gjoels-Andersen and Gonzalez Almazan have joined forces to post a 3-2 mark in the No. 1 doubles position.
SDSU has captured both previous meetings with the Dons, emerging with a 7-0 shutout at Aztec Tennis Center in 2004, followed by a 5-2 conquest at home in 2012.
The Aztecs are 65-55 since 1989 against current members of the West Coast Conference. San Diego State will face three additional WCC squads this year, traveling to Seattle, Wash., to face Portland in a neutral-site engagement (Feb. 23), before hosting San Diego (March 16) and Santa Clara (April 6).
After defeating Sonoma State 6-1 in its spring opener, USF (1-3) has lost three straight, including a 4-1 defeat at UC Irvine in its last outing on Feb. 9. Prior to their battle with SDSU, the Dons will arrive in "America's Finest City" to face USD on Saturday, Feb. 16.
Individually, seniors Ryan Marker, Paul Giraud and freshman Nitzan Ricklis have occupied the top three spots on USF's singles ladder, with Giraud and Marker combining at No. 1 doubles in the last three matches.
The Aztecs and Dons split four singles encounters and two doubles matches during the fall tournament schedule. Sophomore Ignacio Martinez defeated USF's David Woodland, 6-3, 6-1, in consolation play at the Battle in the Bay Classic, while junior Arnaud Restifo rallied for a three-set triumph over Ricklis in the Flight A quarterfinals of Fresno State Bulldog Classic, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. At that same tournament, Kirchhoff teamed with junior Nicholas Mitchell to defeat the Dons' pairing of Marker and Ricklis, 8-7(4), in the Flight B doubles semifinals.
Following Sunday's dual, San Diego State will venture to the Evergreen State next weekend for a pair of matches, locking horns with Washington on Friday, Feb. 22, before remaining in Seattle to play Portland in a neutral-site clash on Saturday, Feb. 23.