SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State men's tennis team returned to action for the first time in March against the No. 37 ranked UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at the Aztec Tennis Center on Thursday, March 2. After jumping out to a 1-0 lead after winning the doubles point including a victory over the nation's No. 25 ranked doubles pairing, SDSU was blanked in singles play by the Gauchos, falling 4-1.
The Scarlet and Black drop to 1-5 this season, while UCSB joins the double-digit win club with a 10-1 record.
"We had a great doubles point today against UC Santa Barbara, and with three singles matches going three sets and a third going to a second set tiebreaker, the match was on our racket," head coach Gene Carswell said following the match. "Our number one team beat a nationally ranked duo handily, 6-2. We clinched the doubles point at number two, when our Aztecs pulled away from 4-4 to win the set 6-4. We need to do a better job capitalizing on the opportunities we are earning in singles."
On the top doubles court, Johannes Seeman and Chikaya Sato faced tough competition in the No. 25 ranked duo of Kai Brady and Phillip Jordan. The top SDSU combo shocked the Gauchos in a 6-2 victory. On the No. 2 court, Alexander Mandma and Bora Sengul came through with a 6-4 win over Conrad Brown and Pablo Masjuan to clinch the doubles point. On the third court, Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice and Mathieu Josserand fell to Lucca Liu and Gianluca Brunkow 6-3.
On the top singles court, Seeman (4-2) faced off against Jordan and took the first set 6-2. However, it was all Jordan in the final two sets with the Gaucho winning 6-1, 6-2.
Playing on the No. 2 court, Sato (2-4) drew another tough matchup, this time against No. 114-ranked Masjuan. Sato was dropped in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.
Andre Saleh (1-2) played on the No. 6 court against Brown. After dropping the first set 6-4, he battled back in the second set but could not complete the comeback, falling 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Searching for his first win of the spring, Sengul (0-5) played Luka Mrsic on the No. 5 court but was swept 6-1, 6-1.
On the middle courts, Mandma and Gonzalez Fitzmaurice each claimed a set, but the match was clinched before they finished. Playing on the No. 3 court, Mandma faced Brunkow and won the first set 6-4. However, he was bested 6-2 in the second and trailed 3-2 in the third when the match was called. On the fourth court, Gonzalez Fitzmaurice lost the first set to Liu 6-1. He fought back to claim the second 6-2 and also trailed 3-2 when the match was decided.
San Diego State faces a quick turnaround time as it will compete in Pacific Coast Doubles Championships at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club in La Jolla, Calif., starting tomorrow, Friday, March 3. The tournament lasts through Sunday, March 5. The next dual match is against No. 7 ranked Harvard at the Aztec Tennis Center on Monday, March 13 at 2 p.m. PT.
No. 37 UC Santa Barbara 4, San Diego State 1
Aztec Tennis Center – San Diego, Calif.
March 2, 2023
Singles Competition
1. Phillip Jordan (UCSB) def. Johannes Seeman (SDSU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
2. No. 114 Pablo Masjuan (UCSB) def. Chikaya Sato (SDSU) 6-1, 6-4
3. Gianluca Brunkow (UCSB) led Alexander Mandma (SDSU) 4-6, 6-2, 3-2
4. Lucca Liu (UCSB) led Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice (SDSU) 6-1, 2-6, 3-2
5. Luka Mrsic (UCSB) def. Bora Sengul (SDSU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Conrad Brown (UCSB) def. Andre Saleh (SDSU) 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Doubles Competition
1. Johannes Seeman/Chikaya Sato (SDSU) def. No. 25 Kai Brady/Phillip Jordan (UCSB) 6-2
2. Alexander Mandma/Bora Sengul (SDSU) def. Conrad Brown/Pablo Masjuan (UCSB) 6-4
3. Lucca Liu/Gianluca Brunkow (UCSB) def. Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice/Mathieu Josserand (SDSU) 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,2,6,1)