SDSU MEN'S TENNIS FALLS TO NO. 42 UTAH STATE 4-1

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Aztecs drop sixth straight dual match

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Milen Ianakiev (above) and Marko Goles-Babic combined for their fourth straight doubles win.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

March 25, 2017 (Logan, Utah) - Seeking some relief from its season-long losing streak, the San Diego State men’s tennis team took to the road this weekend, but came up on the short end of a 4-1 decision at 42nd-ranked Utah State Saturday in a Mountain West dual match at Sports Academy & Racquet Club. With the defeat, the Aztecs drop their sixth in a row, falling to 5-11 overall and 1-1 in conference play, while the Aggies raise their record to 13-7 on the year and 1-0 in the MW.

The SDSU senior doubles tandem of Marko Goles-Babic and Milen Ianakiev continued their hot play of late, knocking off the Utah State combo of Samuel Serrano and Kai Wehnelt in the No. 1 position, 6-4, for their fourth consecutive victory. However, the Aztecs were unable to duplicate the formula in the other two matches, as the duo of junior Santiago Cevallos and freshman Nicholas Mitchell suffered a 6-1 setback to Jonas Maier and Jack Swindell on the No. 2 court, while the pairing of sophomore Sander Gjoels-Andersen and freshman Joel Popov experienced a 6-3 defeat to Jaime Barajas and Andrew Nakajima in the No. 3 spot.

Leading 1-0, the Aggies added to their advantage with a pair of straight-set wins to open singles competition. First off the court was Wehnelt, who dispatched Ianakiev, 6-4, 6-3, in the No. 2 position, while Popov experienced a similar fate in the fourth spot, falling to Serrano, 7-5, 6-4.

The match of the day was contested on center court, where Goles-Babic prevailed in a three-set thriller over Barajas, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(4). Shortly thereafter, however, Utah State clinched the requisite fourth point after Swindells rallied past Gjoels-Andersen in the third position, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

With the outcome of the dual no longer in doubt, two matches were halted, with Cevallos and the Aggies’ Sergiu Bucur knotted at 5-5 on the fifth court, while Gonzalez Almazan trailed 2-1 in the first set in his encounter with Maier at No. 6.

San Diego State returns to action next week to face No. 22 Stanford in a special off-campus match on Wednesday, March 29, at Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club. First serve is set for 2 p.m. PT.

No. 42 Utah State 4, San Diego State 1

March 25, 2017

Sports Academy & Racquet Club

Logan, Utah

Doubles

1. Marko Goles-Babic/Milen Ianakiev (SDSU) def. Samuel Serrano/Kai Wehnelt (USU), 6-4

2. Jonas Maier/Jack Swindells (USU) def. Santiago Cevallos/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU), 6-1

3. Jaime Barajas/Andrew Nakajima (USU) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Joel Popov (SDSU), 6-3

Order of finish: 2, 1, 3

Utah State wins doubles point

Singles

1. Marko Goles-Babic (SDSU) def. Jaime Barajas (USU), 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(4)

2. Kai Wehnelt (USU) def. Milen Ianakiev (SDSU), 6-4, 6-3

3. Jack Swindells (USU) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1

4. Samuel Serrano (USU) def. Joel Popov (SDSU), 7-5, 6-4

5. Sergiu Bucur (USU) vs. Santiago Cevallos (SDSU), 5-5

6. Jonas Maier (USU) vs. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU), 2-1

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

* - Match-clinching victory


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