USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The San Diego State men's tennis team won its third straight Friday with a 4-1 conquest of Air Force in a Mountain West dual match on the Cadet Gymnasium Indoor Courts.
With the victory, SDSU raises its record to 12-8 on the season and 3-2 in conference play, while the Falcons slip to 10-11 overall and 0-5 in the MW. In addition, the Aztecs' 12 wins double the team's total from the 2018 campaign when the Scarlet and Black finished with a 6-20 mark.
San Diego State survived a hotly contested doubles round, with Rafael Gonzalez Almazan and Jan Kirchhoff providing the clinching point after prevailing in a tiebreaker, 7-6(8), over the Air Force duo of Jamie Bautista and Paul Hendrix in the No. 2 spot.
Earlier, Sander Gjoels-Andersen and Ignacio Martinez suffered their first defeat of the spring at No. 1 after falling victim to Tadhg Collins and Patrick Sklenka by a 6-4 count in the No. 1 position. However, the Aztecs evened the flight moments later when Arnaud Restifo and Fabian Roensdorf sneaked past Mack Galvin and Isaac Perez, 7-5, on court three.
SDSU gradually extended its lead to 3-0 on the team scoreboard thanks to a pair of straight-set decisions in the first two completed singles matches. First off the asphalt was Gjoels-Andersen, who improved to 11-5 this spring after dispatching Sklenka at the top of the ladder, 6-3, 6-4, while Kirchhoff emerged triumphant over Luke Sanderson, 7-6(3), 6-4, in the second spot.
Over on court four, Martinez had his personal three-match streak halted after suffering a setback to Collins in three sets, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. However, Roensdorf returned the favor with a three-set victory of his own over Hendrix at No. 3, 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-2, which gave the Aztecs the requisite fourth point to secure the match.
Two matches were suspended at this juncture, as Restifo found himself knotted with Galvin at 2-2 in the second set after dropping the opener, 6-3, in the fifth position, while Gonzalez Almazan fell behind early in the first set, 3-1, against Robert Baylon at No. 6.
UP NEXT
San Diego State wraps up its road trip on Sunday, April 14, when it squares off against New Mexico, starting at 1 p.m. MT/noon PT.
San Diego State 4, Air Force 1
April 12, 2019
USAF Academy, Colo.
Cadet Gymnasium Indoor Courts
Doubles
1. Tadhg Collins/Patrick Sklenka (AF) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Ignacio Martinez (SDSU), 6-4
2. Jan Kirchhoff/Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Jamie Bautista/Paul Hendrix (AF), 7-6(8)
3. Arnaud Restifo/Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU) def. Mack Galvin/Isaac Perez (AF), 7-5
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
San Diego State wins doubles point
Singles
1. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU) def. Patrick Sklenka (AF), 6-3, 6-4
2. Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU) def. Luke Sanderson (AF), 7-6(3), 6-4
3. Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU) def. Paul Hendrix (AF), 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-2
4. Tadhg Collins (AF) def. Ignacio Martinez (SDSU), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
5. Mack Galvin (AF) vs. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-3, 2-2, DNF
6. Robert Baylon (AF) vs. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU), 3-1, DNF
Order of finish: 1, 2, 4, 3*
* Match-clinching victory