SDSU MEN'S TENNIS TOPPLES SANTA CLARA ON SENIOR DAY 4-2

Aztecs win third straight; will face UNLV in 2017 regular-season finale on Saturday

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Flanked by assistant coach Jeff Thomsen and head coach Gene Carswell, respectively, seniors Milen Ianakiev and Marko Goles-Babic were honored prior to the Aztecs' win over Santa Clara on Friday.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

April 21, 2017 (San Diego) - San Diego State emerged with its third consecutive victory Friday after recording a 4-2 conquest of Santa Clara in a non-conference dual match at Aztec Tennis Center. With the win, SDSU moves to 8-14 on the season, while the Broncos slip to 14-6 overall.

The suddenly resurgent Aztecs set the tone early in doubles competition, building big leads in all three encounters to grab 1-0 advantage on the team scoreboard. The SDSU pairing of senior Milen Ianakiev and junior Santiago Cevallos was first off the court after dispatching the SCU tandem of Connor Garnett and Vasileios Iliopoulos by a 6-3 margin in the No. 1 position. Shortly thereafter, the Aztec pairing of sophomore Sander Gjoels-Andersen and freshman Nicholas Mitchell posted an identical 6-3 triumph over Robert Seby and Jesus Barajas in the No. 2 spot. Meanwhile over on court No. 3, SDSU senior Marko Goles-Babic and freshman David Hough were deadlocked at 5-5 in their battle with Andrew Gu and Kamran Khan, but with the point safely tucked away, the match was suspended.

The Aztecs padded their lead after the first singles encounter, with Cevallos pinning a 6-4, 6-0 defeat on Barajas in the No. 4 position, giving the host school a 2-0 cushion.

The Broncos fought back at this juncture, posting two quick wins to forge a 2-2 tie. The comeback began when Iliopoulos claimed a 6-1, 6-1 decision over SDSU freshman Joel Popov at No. 5, while Garnett soon followed with a 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Gjoels-Andersen in the No. 3 spot.

However, the Aztecs stood their ground, finishing with a pair of tough three-set victories to avenge a 4-3 loss to Santa Clara on the road last year. Freshman Rafael Gonzalez Almazan made his first singles appearance since April 9 a memorable one by knocking off Khan in the No. 6 spot, 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-2, while Goles-Babic rallied to beat Gu at the top of the ladder, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(2).  Trailing 5-4 in the third set and facing triple match point, Goles-Babic came back to win the next two games before  prevailing in a tiebreaker.

The final singles match remained incomplete as Ianakiev held a 5-3 lead in the third set of his battle with Seby at No. 2 after splitting the first two, 6-4, 5-7.

Prior to Friday’s dual, Goles-Babic and Ianakiev were honored as part of SDSU’s annual Senior Day festivities.

San Diego State will have one last tune-up before the Mountain West Championship when it squares off against conference rival UNLV on Saturday at Aztec Tennis Center. First serve is set for 11 a.m. PT.

San Diego State 4, Santa Clara 2

April 21, 2017

Aztec Tennis Center

San Diego, Calif.

Doubles

1. Santiago Cevallos/Milen Ianakiev (SDSU) def. Connor Garnett/Vasileios Iliopoulos (SCU), 6-3

2. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU) def. Robert Seby/Jesus Barajas (SCU), 6-3

3. Marko Goles-Babic/David Hough (SDSU) vs. Andrew Gu/Kamran Khan (SCU), 5-5, DNF

Order of finish: 1, 2

SDSU wins doubles point

Singles

1. Marko Goles-Babic (SDSU) def. Andrew Gu (SCU), 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(2)

2. Milen Ianakiev (SDSU) vs. Robert Seby (SCU), 6-4, 5-7, 5-3, DNF

3. Connor Garnett (SCU) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 6-4, 6-1

4. Santiago Cevallos (SDSU) def. Jesus Barajas (SCU), 6-4, 6-0

5. Vasileios Iliopoulos (SCU) def. Joel Popov (SDSU), 6-1, 6-1

6. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Kamran Khan (SCU), 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-2

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

* - Match-clinching victory

Records:

SDSU (8-14); Santa Clara (14-6)