March 11, 2016
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State men's tennis halted a three match losing skid in convincing fashion, beating No. 70 Penn at Aztec Tennis Center, 5-2, on Friday afternoon. The win was the Aztecs' second over a nationally-ranked opponent this season.
"Definitely happy for the guys," head coach Gene Carswell said. "I think it was a complete team win. The guys came out and took it upon themselves to each go out and get their one point."
With the impending threat of inclement weather, the match was pushed up two hours and singles were played first.
The unusual circumstance seemed to light a fire for the Aztecs, who opened singles play by earning the first four points. On court No. 1, Freddy Gelbrich had a 5-1 advantage over Kyle Mautner before Mautner retired. Sander Gjoels-Andersen defeated Matt Nardella 6-0, 6-2, while Hendrik Jebens displayed similar dominance in his 6-1, 6-0 victory over Vim De Alwis. Milen Ianakiev won a close first set, 7-5, and was able to take home the win with a 6-2 second set. Marko Goles-Babic rebounded from a 3-6 opening set to put up matching 6-1 second and third sets for a win against Nicholai Westergaard. Freshman Cornelius Kolb took his first set against Blaine Willenborg but lost tightly contested second and third sets by 6-7 (8) and 8-10 scores.
Said Carswell of singles play, "We were able to lock up the clinch and that's a great thing to do against a nationally ranked team."
With the match in hand and a 5-1 advantage, San Diego State entered doubles play by winning its match in the No. 1 spot when Goles-Babic and Gelbrich beat Westergaard and Austin Kaplan, 6-4. However, SDSU would go on to drop its other doubles matches. Jebens and Jonas Meinzer fell to Nardella and Thomas Spratt, 6-7 (6), and Willenborg and Gabriel Rapoport topped Santiago Cevallos and Gjoels-Andersen, 6-2, for the final 5-2 score.
"Everyone we compete against is going to show up and know that we're a good team," Carswell said. "We're a team that made it to the NCAA's last year and was winning matches in the tournament. We've got to go out there and show on a daily basis that we're a very good team, and I think this was a good step in that direction."
San Diego State continues its homestand with a noon match on Saturday at Aztec Tennis Center against Arizona.
San Diego State 5, Penn 2
March 11, 2016
Aztec Tennis Center, San Diego, Calif.
Singles
1. Freddy Gelbrich (SDSU) def. Kyle Mautner (PENN) 5-1, retired
2. Hendrik Jebens (SDSU) def. Vim De Alwis (PENN) 6-1, 6-0
3. Milen Ianakiev (SDSU) def. Josh Pompan (PENN) 7-5, 6-2
4. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU) def. Matt Nardella (PENN) 6-0, 6-2
5. Marko Goles-Babic (SDSU) def. Nicholai Westergaard (PENN) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
6. Blaine Willenborg (PENN) def. Cornelius Kolb (SDSU) 6-4, 6-7 (8), 8-10
Order of Finish: 1,3,4,2,5,6
Doubles
1. Marko Goles-Babic/Freddy Gelbrich (SDSU) def. Nicholai Westergaard/Austin Kaplan (PENN) 6-4
2. Matt Nardella/Thomas Spratt (PENN) def. Hendrik Jebens/Jonas Meinzer (SDSU) 7-6 (6)
3. Blaine Willenborg/Gabriel Rapoport (PENN) def. Santiago Cevallos/Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU) 6-2
Order of Finish: 1,3,2