BOISE, Idaho – Playing its first match in over two weeks, San Diego State showed little rust on Sunday after posting a 4-3 victory over Boise State in the Mountain West opener for both teams at Boas Tennis/Soccer Complex.
With the win, SDSU raises its record to 3-4 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while the Broncos suffered their third straight loss, falling to 6-5 on the year and 0-1 in the MW. Additionally, the Aztecs improve to 3-0 this season when capturing the doubles point after accomplishing the feat in Boise.
Combining for just the second time this year, the tandem of Jan Kirchhoff and Aaro Pollanen got things rolling for the Scarlet and Black with a 6-2 triumph over Kyryll Kryvchun and Kemal Karagozoglu in the No. 3 position, while Fabian Roensdorf and Arnaud Restifo knocked off Mark Papadopoulos and Michael Bott by a 6-3 tally on the second court to give the visitors a 1-0 lead on the team scoreboard.
With the doubles round no longer in question, Rafael Gonzalez Almazan and Ignacio Martinez had their match halted against the Broncos' 56th-ranked duo of Blake Bayldon and Simon Arca Costas after falling behind by a 5-2 count in the No. 1 spot.
SDSU increased the margin to 3-O after claiming the first two results in singles competition. Martinez was at the forefront of the Aztecs' charge, emerging victorious over Papadopoulos in the No. 6 slot, 6-1, 6-4, while Kirchhoff soon followed with a 6-2, 6-2 conquest of Arca Costa in the third position.
Boise State narrowed the gap to 3-1 after Kryvchun upended Roensdorf in the top spot, 6-3, 6-3, but David Hough promptly ended the suspense with a 6-3, 6-4 decision over Bott at No. 5, which gave the Aztecs the requisite fourth point to secure the team victory.
The remaining two matches played through to the finish, as Restifo ran out of steam in a three-set loss to Wyatt DeMulling in the fourth position, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, while Pollanen fell short to Bayldon in a super-tiebreaker at No. 2, 4-6, 7-6(4), 11-9.
San Diego State steps out of conference once again for its next match when it plays host to UC Davis on Friday, Feb. 28 at Aztec Tennis Center. First serve is set for 3 p.m. PT.
San Diego State 4, Boise State 3
Feb. 23, 2020
Boise, Idaho
Boas Tennis/Soccer Complex
Doubles
1. #56 Blake Bayldon/Simon Arca Costas (BSU) vs. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan/Ignacio Martinez (SDSU), 5-2, unfinished
2. Arnaud Restifo/Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU) def. Mark Papadopoulos/Michael Bott (BSU), 6-3
3. Jan Kirchhoff/Aaro Pollanen (SDSU) def. Kyryll Kryvchun/Kemal Karagozoglu (BSU), 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2
SDSU wins doubles point
Singles
1. Kyryll Kryvchun (BSU) def. Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU), 6-3, 6-3
2. Blake Bayldon (BSU) def. Aaro Pollanen (SDSU), 4-6, 7-6(4), 11-9
3. Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU) def. Simon Arca Costas (BSU), 6-2, 6-2
4. Wyatt DeMulling (BSU) def. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. David Hough (SDSU) def. Michael Bott (BSU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Ignacio Martinez (SDSU) def. Mark Papadopoulos (BSU), 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: 6, 3, 1, 5*, 4, 2
* Match-clinching victory