SDSU MEN'S TENNIS CHOPS DOWN NORTHERN ARIZONA 6-1

Aztecs capture five of six singles matches

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo:  Marko Goles-Babic was one of three doubles winners for the Aztecs vs. NAU on Friday.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

February 10, 2017 (San Diego) - The San Diego State men’s tennis team snapped a three-match losing stretch Friday with a convincing 6-1 triumph over Northern Arizona at Aztec Tennis Center. With the victory, SDSU improves to 2-3 overall, while the Lumberjacks remain winless on the young season at 0-3.

The Aztecs jumped out to a 1-0 advantage by earning the early doubles point. The duo of Joel Popov (Tampere, Finland) and Rafael Gonzalez Almazan got the host school off on the right foot with a 6-3 conquest of Thomas Fisher and David Nguyen on court No. 3, while the tandem of Marko Goles-Babic (Zagreb, Croatia) and Sander Gjoels-Andersen (Klampenborg, Denmark) dispatched the NAU pairing of Sebastian Eguez and Ruben Montano by a 6-2 count in the No. 1 spot. Over on the second court, the SDSU combo of Santiago Cevallos (Queretaro, Mexico) and Milen Ianakiev (Elz, Hesse, Germany) found themselves in a 4-4 deadlock with the Lumberjacks’ Tim Handel and Lucas Taylor. However, the match was left unfinished with the doubles point safely tucked away.

The Scarlet and Black kept things rolling in singles play, chalking up five victories, including four in straight sets. First off the court was Goles-Babic, who confronted minimal resistance in a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Felix Schumann in No. 2 position, while Cevallos soon followed with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat of Eguez at No. 4, which abruptly put the brakes on a personal five-match slide.

Trailing 3-0, NAU recorded its lone point of the day after Taylor prevailed over Gjoels-Anderson, 6-2, 6-4, in the No. 3 spot.

Unfazed, the Aztecs swept the remaining encounters, including a three-set nail-biter by Gonzalez Almazan, who outlasted Fisher on the No. 6 court, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, to improve to 3-2 on the year since joining the squad in early January. 

Shortly thereafter, Ianakiev outlasted Handel at center court, 6-4, 7-5, for his third win a row.

SDSU’s final tally of the day belonged to Popov, who found himself in a tight battle with Montano early on before hitting the accelerator in the second set en route to a 7-6(3), 6-1 victory, which ended a three-match skid in the process.

The Aztecs continue their busy weekend with another non-conference dual match on Saturday when they play host to UC Irvine, starting at 11 a.m. PT.

San Diego State 6, Northern Arizona 1

Aztec Tennis Center

San Diego, Calif.

Feb. 10, 2017

Doubles

1. Marko Goles-Babic/Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU) def. Sebastian Eguez/Ruben Montano (NAU), 6-2

2. Santiago Cevallos/Milen Ianakiev (SDSU) vs. Tim Handel/Lucas Taylor (NAU), 4-4, DNF

3. Joel Popov/Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Thomas Fisher/David Nguyen (NAU), 6-3

Order of finish:  3, 1

SDSU wins doubles point

Singles

1. Milen Ianakiev (SDSU) def. Tim Handel (NAU), 6-4, 7-5

2. Marko Goles-Babic (SDSU) def. Felix Schumann (NAU), 6-1, 6-2

3. Lucas Taylor (NAU) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 6-2, 6-4

4. Santiago Cevallos (SDSU) def. Sebastian Eguez (NAU), 6-2, 6-3

5. Joel Popov (SDSU) def. Ruben Montano (NAU) 7-6(3), 6-1

6. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Thomas Fisher (NAU), 6-1, 1-6, 6-3

Order of finish: 2, 4, 3, 6*, 1, 5

* - Match-clinching victory