SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The San Diego State men's tennis team saw its two-match winning streak snapped Sunday in a narrow 4-3 loss to UC Santa Barbara on the Recreation Center Courts.
For the first time this season, the Aztecs lost a dual match after winning the doubles point, slipping to 4-5 on the year. Conversely, the Gauchos rallied with four victories in singles competition to move to 5-8 overall.
In a hotly contested doubles round, the tandem of Ignacio Martinez and Rafael Gonzalez Almazan got the Scarlet and Black rolling with a 6-4 triumph over Joseph Guillin and Alejandro Vedri in the No. 1 position.
Conversely, the duo of Arnaud Restifo and Fabian Roensdorf were not as fortunate, dropping a 7-5 nail-biter to Victor Krustev and Joseph Rotheram in the No. 2 spot.
With the doubles point hanging in the balance, Jan Kirchhoff gave the visitors a 1-0 lead on the team scoreboard after defeating Alex Soto and Joshua Williams in a tiebreaker on the No. 3 court, 7-6(2).
The Aztecs were unable to ride the momentum into singles play, however, as UCSB claimed the first three encounters.
Krustev dispatched Kirchhoff in the No. 2 spot, 6-4, 6-1, while Wilhelm Saiga outlasted Restifo in the fifth position, 6-2, 7-6(8). Moments later, Roensdorf fell in similar fashion to Guillen in the No. 1 slot, 6-2, 7-6(1), which gave the hosts a 3-1 advantage.
Stung, SDSU responded with two wins to tie the match at 3-3 after David Hough upended Williams, 7-6(5), 6-3, while Martinez outlasted Rotheram in three sets at No. 4, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
All eyes quickly turned towards court three where Pollanen was locked in another tight battle with Vedri, who ultimately prevailed in three sets, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
San Diego State returns to the courts on Thursday, March 5, when it plays host to San Diego Christian at Aztec Tennis Center. Match time is set for 3 p.m. PT.
UC Santa Barbara 4, San Diego State 3
March 1, 2020
Santa Barbara, Calif.
Recreation Center Courts
Doubles
1. Ignacio Martinez/Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Joseph Guillin/Alejandro Vedri (UCSB), 6-4
2. Victor Krustev/Joseph Rotheram (UCSB) def. Arnaud Restifo/Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU), 7-5
3. Jan Kirchhoff/Aaro Pollanen (SDSU) def. Alex Soto/Joshua Williams (SDSU), 7-6(2)
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
SDSU wins doubles point
Singles
1. Joseph Guillin (UCSB) def. Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU), 6-2, 7-6(1)
2. Victor Krustev (UCSB) def. Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU), 6-4, 6-1
3. Alejandro Vedri (UCSB) def. Aaro Pollanen (SDSU), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
4. Ignacio Martinez (SDSU) def. Joseph Rotheram (UCSB), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
5. Wilhelm Saiga (UCSB) def. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-2, 7-6(8)
6. David Hough (SDSU) def. Joshua Williams (UCSB), 7-6(5), 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 5, 1, 6, 4, 3*
* - match-clinching victory