SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. – The San Diego State men's tennis team's Liam Spiers played in the championship round of the UCSB Fall Classic on Sunday, the final day of the three-day event at the Arnhold Tennis Center on the campus of UC Santa Barbara. SDSU was also represented by Andre Saleh, Robin Parts and Mathieu Josserand in the tournament.
Just a day after his 21st birthday, Spiers faced Grand Canyon's Wyatt Anderson for the championship. Spiers dropped a close first set 5-7, putting him a set away from losing. Spiers, however, did not give up. He stormed back to take the second set 6-4 and the third 6-2 to win the championship.
In an even matchup, Josserand and Parts faced Cal Poly's Bastiaan Weststrate and Colter Smith. The match went to the tiebreaker but the Aztecs ended up on top 8-7 (7-5).
In the other doubles matchup, Saleh and Spiers drew Grand Canyon's Anderson and Jonathan Da Silva. The SDSU duo fell 8-6.
After dropping the first set to Cal Poly's Shaun Ferguson 6-1, Saleh bounced back to take the second by the same to even things up. In a close tiebreaker, he was bested 10-8.
Josserand went up against another Mustang in Aaron Eliscu. After falling 7-6 (7-4) in the first set tiebreaker, his comeback attempt fell shy in the second set with a 6-4 loss.
The Aztecs are back in action next weekend in the San Diego Veterans Tennis Classic. That tournament will take place on the campus of the University of San Diego from Friday, October 13, through Sunday, October 15.
UCSB Fall Classic
Arnhold Tennis Center
Santa Barbara, Calif.
San Diego State's Day Three Results
Liam Spiers (SDSU) def. Wyatt Anderson (GCU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Josserand/Parts (SDSU) def. Weststrate/Smith (Cal Poly) 8-7 (7-5)
Anderson/Da Silva (GCU) def. Saleh/Spiers (SDSU) 8-6
Shaun Ferguson (Cal Poly) def. Andre Saleh (SDSU) 6-1, 1-6, 10-8
Aaron Eliscu (Cal Poly) def. Mathieu Josserand (SDSU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4