Feb. 5, 2009
SAN DIEGO -
Complete Release in PDF Format
SDSU hosts doubleheader home opener
The San Diego State men's tennis team will face the USC Trojans and the UC Riverside Highlanders on Friday beginning at noon PT. The Aztecs (1-3) will be looking for their second win of the season after starting 2009 with four matches away from home. The Aztecs' most recent match came against UCLA where SDSU took the doubles point but ultimately fell in a hard fought battle, 5-2.
Scouting the Trojans
USC is coming off a win over San Diego, 4-0, at the Marks Tennis Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. With the victory on Saturday, the Trojans improve to 4-0 on the season. No. 6 Southern California boasts four ranked players including two returners and two freshman. Junior Robert Farah is the Trojans highest-ranked player at No. 7 and is at 3-0 for the season. Freshman No. 54 Matt Kecki and No. 58 Steven Johnson start their collegiate career ranked in the top 100 in the nation. Senior Abdullah Magdas comes into the 2009 season ranked 64th. USC's Peter Smith is in his seventh year as head coach of the Trojans.
Series History vs. Southern California
San Diego State has yet to top USC in the two schools six meetings. In 2008 the Aztecs fell to the Trojans, 6-1, in Los Angeles.
Scouting the Highlanders
UC Riverside is coming off a split-decison day Saturday when they dropped the decision, 5-2, to Vanguard but picked up a victory, 5-2, against Riverside Community College.
Series History vs. UC Riverside
SDSU owns the series record against the Highlanders, 6-1, with the last victory for the Aztecs coming last season.
Aztecs in the Polls
San Diego State enters the 2009 campaign as the 58th-ranked team in the nation according to the first FILA Collegiate Tennis Rankings released Feb. 3 by the Intercollegiate Collegiate Tennis Association (ITA).
The Coaches
Gene Carswell is in his 11th season at San Diego State and sixth as head coach of the Scarlet and Black. In his six seasons at the helm, the Aztecs' mentor has compiled an overall record of 73-46 (.628), while guiding SDSU to three straight Mountain West Conference regular-season titles from 2005-2007. During that stretch, the native San Diegan led the Aztecs to a 17-0 league mark en route to earning three consecutive MWC coach of the year accolades. Prior to his present duties, Carswell was an Aztec assistant for five years from 1998-2003, earning a pair of ITA regional assistant coach of the year honors in 2001 and 2003.
2007-08 Review
SDSU finished the 2008 dual-match campaign with a 13-12 overall record and a 1-5 mark in the Mountain West Conference.
Last Time Out With The Aztecs
San Diego State traveled to Los Angeles to take on UCLA on Wednesday. The Aztecs took the doubles point from No. 4 UCLA but lost out in a tough battle to the Bruins, 5-2.