Feb. 23, 2018
SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State men's tennis team posted arguably one its most compelling victories in recent memory Friday with a 4-3 upset of 28th-ranked San Diego in a non-conference dual match at USD's Hogan Tennis Center.
Aztec freshman Ignacio Martinez provided the clinching point with a come-from behind victory at No. 6 singles to help the Scarlet and Black win for just the second time in the last eight meetings between the crosstown adversaries.
In just his second match of the spring, Martinez found himself trailing 5-4 in the third set against Alexandros Araouzos before closing with a fury to vanquish his Torero adversary, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Earlier, the Aztecs (2-7) provided a glimpse of their forthcoming determination by claiming their first doubles point of the season. First off the court was the tandem of Joel Popov and Arnaud Restifo, who dispatched the pairing of David Norfeldt and Garrett Kurtz by a 6-3 count in the No. 3 spot, while the duo of Santiago Cevallos and Rafael Gonzalez Almazan dispatched August Holmgren and Joel Gamerov by a 6-4 tally in the No. 2 position.
With a 1-0 lead safely tucked away, Sander Gjoels-Andersen and Nicholas Mitchell had their match suspended against the USD's Gui Osorio and Nico Borter, with the Aztec teammates maintaining a 5-4 edge in the No. 1 slot.
SDSU extended its advantage to 3-0 after capturing the first two singles encounters. Cevallos snapped a personal eight-match losing streak with a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Osorio in the No. 2 position, while Gonzalez Almazan soon followed with a 6-4, 6-3 conquest of Norfeldt in the fifth court.
However, the Toreros (4-3) stormed back with three straight decisions to put the Scarlet and Black's upset bid momentarily on hold. Gamerov ended the host school's drought with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Popov at No. 4, while Holmgren outlasted Restifo in the No. 1 spot, 6-4, 7-5.
At No. 3, Gjoels-Andersen found himself in a tight battle with Borter, who turned on the afterburners in the third set to pull away for the victory, 6-1, 2-6, 6-0.
With the score tied at 3-3, all eyes turned to court No. 6, where Martinez endured numerous match points to seal the victory for the Aztecs.
Series Notes
--San Diego State snaps a two-match losing to streak to USD.
--The Aztecs move to 18-15 in the series vs. the Toreros dating back to 1989.
--SDSU wins at USD for the first time since 2010.
-- Friday's upset marks the Aztecs' first victory over a ranked opponent since the 2016 regular-season-finale at home vs. No. 64 New Mexico (4-3).
--The Toreros are also the highest-ranked opponent SDSU has defeated since knocking off No. 22 California at home on March 5, 2015.
Quotable
"I am very proud of our guys," said Aztec head coach Gene Carswell. "They battled to the end to earn a well-deserved victory. All the hard work they've been putting in on the practice court is starting to pay dividends in our matches. Our game ball obviously goes to Ignacio; he's a freshman who competed like a senior today. We'll do our best to ride this momentum into our match on Sunday at Pepperdine."
Up Next
San Diego State closes out its season-long road swing on Sunday, Feb. 25, when it heads up the coast to battle Pepperdine in Malibu, Calif. First serve at Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center is set for 2 p.m. PT.
San Diego State 4, No. 28 San Diego 3
February 23, 2018
San Diego, Calif.
Hogan Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU) vs. Gui Osorio/Nico Borter (USD), 5-4 DNF
2. Santiago Cevallos/Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. August Holmgren/Joel Gamerov (USD), 6-4
3. Joel Popov/Arnaud Restifo (SDSU) def. David Norfeldt/Garrett Kurtz (USD), 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2
SDSU wins doubles point
Singles
1. August Holmgren def. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-4, 6-3
2. Santiago Cevallos (SDSU) def. Gui Osorio (USD), 6-2, 6-4
3. Nico Borter (USD) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 6-1, 2-6, 6-0
4. Joel Gamerov (USD) def. Joel Popov (SDSU), 6-4, 6-3
5. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. David Norfeldt (USD), 6-4, 6-3
6. Ignacio Martinez (SDSU) def. Alexandros Araouzos (USD), 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
Order of finish: 2, 5, 4, 3, 1, 6*
* Match-clinching victory