SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State men's tennis team stormed back from an early deficit to claim an uplifting 4-1 victory over Air Force in the Mountain West opener for both squads at Aztec Tennis Center.
Trailing 1-0 after ceding the doubles point, SDSU (4-7, 1-0 MW) emerged triumphant in the first four completed matches of singles play to secure its 32nd win in the last 34 dual matches against the Falcons (11-5, 0-1 MW).
The Aztecs started strong in the doubles round, as the tandem of Victor Castro and Johannes Seeman blanked the Air Force duo of Arjun Kersten and Alex Krawietz in the No. 2 position, 6-0.
However, the Falcons eventually turned the tables with a pair of wins in the remaining encounters to draw first blood on the team scoreboard. Over on the No. 3 court, Jules Auffray and Judson Blair fell short by 6-4 count against Jonathan Mascagni and Nick Vroman, while Alexander Mandma and Joe Tyler dropped a hard-fought tiebreaker at the top of the rotation to Jordan Azuma and Robert Baylon, 7-6(3).
Unfazed, the Aztecs responded with a vengeance, winning the first set in all six singles matches before capturing the first four decisions.
First off the court was Blair, who pinned a 6-3, 6-3 defeat on Azuma in the sixth position, while Seeman won for the third time in his last four outings with a 6-3, 6-1 conquest of Vroman in the No. 3 slot.
In addition, Auffray snapped a two-match skid with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Justin Waldman in the fifth spot, while Mandma provided the clincher after disposing of Kersten in the No. 4 position by a 6-4, 6-3 tally.
With the team victory already on ice, the two remaining matches were suspended. At the top of the ladder, Tyler split his first two set with Baylon, winning the opener, 6-2, while his Falcon adversary claimed the second, 6-4. Over on the No. 2 court, Castro found himself trailing 3-2 in the third set against Mascagni after splitting the first two, 6-1, 2-6.
San Diego State will be back in action on Saturday, March 19, when it faces Hawai'i in a non-conference match off campus at Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club. The starting time for the Aztecs-Rainbow Warriors clash is set for noon PT.
San Diego State 4, Air Force 1
March 13, 2022
Aztec Tennis Center—San Diego, Calif.
Doubles
1. Jordan Azuma/Robert Baylon (AF) def. Alexander Mandma/Joe Tyler (SDSU) 7-6(3)
2. Johannes Seeman/Victor Castro (SDSU) def. Arjun Kersten/Alex Krawietz (AF) 6-0
3. Jonathan Mascagni/Nick Vroman (AF) def. Judson Blair/Jules Auffray (SDSU) 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
Air Force wins doubles point
Singles
1. Joe Tyler (SDSU) vs. Robert Baylon (AF) 6-2, 4-6, DNF
2. Victor Castro (SDSU) vs. Jonathan Mascagni (AF) 6-1, 2-6, 2-3, DNF
3. Johannes Seeman (SDSU) def. Nick Vroman (AF) 6-3, 6-1
4. Alexander Mandma (SDSU) def. Arjun Kersten (AF) 6-4, 6-3
5. Jules Auffray (SDSU) def. Justin Waldman (AF) 6-2, 6-2
6. Judson Blair (SDSU) def. Jordan Azuma (AF) 6-3, 6-3
Order of Finish: 6, 3, 5, 4*
* - match-clinching victory
Aztecs Defeat Air Force in MW Opener, 4-1
