SAN DIEGO – San Diego State men’s tennis closed out the San Diego Spring Invitational on Sunday, facing Texas Tech in a morning contest at the Aztec Tennis Center. Playing without their No. 2 Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice in singles, the Scarlet and Black could only capture wins on two courts in a 4-2 defeat which featured five three-set matches.
The Aztecs fall to 6-5 (0-1 Mountain West) and the Red Raiders improve to 9-5.
On court three, Denis Maijorov and Gonzalez Fitzmaurice fell 6-2 to Thiago Guglieri and Niksa Arsic to give Texas Tech the advantage in doubles. Playing on the top court, Alexander Mandma and Mathieu Josserand faced Sebastian Abboud and Piotr Pawlak. The seniors were bested 6-2, securing the point for the Red Raiders. Liam Spiers and Marc Kleber’s matchup against Tyler Stewart and Ludovico Vaccari was left unfinished with the Aztecs at a 5-4 disadvantage.
Mandma quickly turned things around for the Scarlet and Black, earning a win on court three. The senior took the first set 6-4 over Stewart before rolling to a 6-1 win in the second set, tying the match score at 1-1.
Making his first appearance in singles this dual season, Marc Kleber took the fourth spot for the Aztecs. After being shut out 6-0 by Vaccari in the first set, the freshman rallied to a 6-4 second set win, but ultimately came up short 6-4 to the fellow freshman in the third.
Playing on court two for only the second time this season, Josserand took on Texas Tech’s Arsic, battling in three sets. The senior dropped the first set 6-4 to Arsic, but took the second by the same score. Josserand couldn’t hold on to the momentum, falling 6-0 in the final set.
Down 3-1, Spiers was able to get San Diego State back on the board with a court five victory. Taking the first set 6-2 over Guglieri, the senior dropped the second set in a hard-fought tiebreaker 7-6 (7-2) before securing a win with a 6-3 third set.
The match came down to courts one and six, which were both decided in three sets. In the top spot, Philipp Bosse took the first against Pawlak by a score of 7-6 (7-3). On the bottom court, Maijorov fell 6-4 to Abboud in the first set, but took the second 6-4. Bosse was bested 6-3, sending both matches to three sets. Bosse was ahead 5-4 on the top court when Abboud clinched the match for the Red Raiders with a 7-5 third set victory.
“Playing without Eugenio in singles, we knew it would be a tall order to get through Texas Tech today, but we made it a heck of a close fight,” said Head Coach Gene Carswell. “I’m proud of the energy and determination the guys played with today. It’s a sign of more good things to come.”
San Diego State returns to action on Wednesday, taking on Gonzaga at 2 p.m. at the Aztec Tennis Center.
Doubles
1. Sebastian Abboud/Piotr Pawlak (TTU) def. Alexander Mandma/Mathieu Josserand (SDSU) 6-2
2. Tyler Stewart/Ludovico Vaccari (TTU) vs. Marc Kleber/Liam Spiers (SDSU) DNF 5-4
3. Thiago Guglieri/Niksa Arsic (TTU) def. Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice/Denis Maijorov (SDSU) 6-2
Singles
1. Philipp Bosse (SDSU) vs. Piotr Pawlak (TTU) DNF 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 5-4
2. Niksa Arsic (TTU) def. Mathieu Josserand (SDSU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
3. Alexander Mandma (SDSU) def. Tyler Stewart (TTU) 6-4, 6-1
4. Ludovico Vaccari (TTU) def. Marc Kleber (SDSU) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4
5. Liam Spiers (SDSU) def. Thiago Guglieri (TTU) 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3
6. Sebastian Abboud (TTU) def. Denis Maijorov (SDSU) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,4,2,5,6)