March 27, 2018
SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State put the brakes on an eight-match slide Tuesday afternoon with a convincing 6-1 triumph over visiting Eastern Washington in the team's final non-conference dual of the season at Aztec Tennis Center.
SDSU (3-15) captured the doubles point for just the third time this spring before claiming five of six singles matches in straight sets to power past the Eagles (6-8).
The duo of Sander Gjoels-Andersen and Rafael Gonzalez Almazan got things rolling for the Aztecs with a 6-2 conquest of Martin Bats and Jeremy Mueller at No. 3 doubles, while the pairing of Raul de la Torre and Jan Kirchhoff followed with an identical 6-2 decision over Ricardo Almeida and Victor Pereira in the second slot.
SDSU was denied a clean sweep shortly thereafter when the duo of Nicholas Mitchell and Arnaud Restifo experienced a 6-4 setback to Jeremy Field and Scott Paz by a 6-4 count in the No. 1 position. Unfazed, the Aztecs came out firing on all cylinders in singles, losing just 10 games total in their five victories.
First off the court was de la Torre, who won his second straight with a 6-1, 6-0 pasting of Almeida in the sixth spot, while Restifo ended a personal eight-match skid in resounding fashion with a 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Paz, marking the Scarlet and Black's first triumph of the spring at the top of the ladder.
Moments later, Kirchhoff provided the requisite fourth point after knocking off Pereira by a 6-1, 6-3 tally on court No. 3.
Not to be outdone, Gjoels-Andersen also had an individual eight-match dry spell quenched on Tuesday thanks to a 6-0, 6-1 rout of Mueller in the No. 3 spot, while Gonzalez Almazan emerged with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Bats at No. 5 for his team-leading 15th win of the year.
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"The whole team stepped up and contributed to our victory today," said SDSU head coach Gene Carswell. "It's nice to have some momentum as we head into conference play."
UP NEXT
The Aztecs resume their Mountain West schedule on Thursday, March 29, when they travel to the Treasure Valley of Idaho for a clash with Boise State, starting at 6 p.m. MT/5 p.m. PT.
San Diego State 6, Eastern Washington 1
March 27, 2018
San Diego, Calif.
Aztec Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Jeremy Field/Scott Paz (EWU) def. Nicholas Mitchell/Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-4
2. Raul de la Torre/Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU) def. Ricardo Almeida/Victor Pereira (EWU), 6-2
3. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Martin Bats/Jeremy Mueller (EWU), 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
SDSU wins doubles point
Singles
1. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU) def. Scott Paz (EWU), 6-1, 6-2
2. Jeremy Field (EWU) def. Ignacio Martinez (SDSU), 7-6(3), 6-3
3. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU) def. Jeremy Mueller (EWU), 6-0, 6-1
4. Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU) def. Victor Pereira (EWU), 6-1, 6-3
5. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Martin Bats (EWU), 6-2, 6-1
6. Raul de la Torre (SDSU) def. Ricardo Almeida (EWU), 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 1, 4*, 5, 3, 2
* Match-clinching victory