SDSU MEN'S TENNIS DEFEATED BY FRESNO STATE 4-0

Aztecs suffer eighth consecutive dual-match defeat

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

April 7, 2017 (San Diego) - San Diego State jumped back into Mountain West play Friday seeking its first victory in over a month, but visiting Fresno State only extended the frustration, as the Aztecs suffered a 4-0 setback in a rare evening dual match at Aztec Tennis Center.

With the loss, SDSU dropped its eighth in a row, slipping to 5-13 on the year and 1-2 in conference play, while the Bulldogs won their fourth straight, improving to 13-10 overall and 3-0 in the MW.

The Aztecs fell behind early in doubles for the eighth time in their last 10 encounters after the duo of junior Santiago Cevallos and freshman Nicholas Mitchell fell victim to Fresno State’s Xander Veys and Mantas Bugailiskis in the No. 2 position by a narrow 7-5 margin. Earlier, the tandem of sophomore Sander Gjoels-Andersen and freshman Joel Popov were dealt a 6-3 defeat by the Bulldogs’ Youssef Hassan and Zdenek Derkas in the No. 3 spot. Over on the No. 1 court, the combo of seniors Marko Goles-Babic and Milen Ianakiev were knotted at 6-6 in their encounter with Patrik Pech and Euan McIntosh, but the match was abndoned after Fresno State clinched the early point.

Stung, SDSU was unable to generate any momentum in singles play despite extending two matches to three sets and splitting two sets in another.

Cevallos was the first to experience the Bulldogs’ bite, dropping a 6-1, 6-1 decision to Bugailiskis in the fifth position, while Ianakiev was toppled by McIntosh by a 6-2, 6-3 margin in the No. 2 spot. Shortly thereafter, Gjoels-Andersen was dismissed by Derkas on the third court, 6-4, 6-3, giving Fresno State the requisite fourth point, which snapped the Aztecs’ four-match winning streak against their MW rival.

Three matches were left unfinished at this juncture, including Goles-Babic, who was on the cusp of victory in his encounter with Veys in the No. 1 position after building a 5-3 advantage in the third set following a 6-0, 2-6 split in the first two. Meanwhile, freshman David Hough captured the opening set in his battle with Hassan at No. 6, 6-4, but dropped the second, 6-3, before facing a 3-1 deficit in the third. In addition, Popov claimed the first set against Osorio at No. 4, 6-3, but had the tables turned in the second, 6-4.

San Diego State closes out its weekend homestand on Sunday when it plays host to another MW opponent Nevada, starting at 11 a.m. PT.

Fresno State 4, San Diego State 0

April 7, 2017

Aztec Tennis Center

San Diego, Calif.

Doubles

1. Marko Goles-Babic/Milen Ianakiev (SDSU) vs. Patrik Pech/Euan McIntosh (FS), 6-6, DNF

2. Xander Veys/Mantas Bugailiskis (FS) def. Santiago Cevallos/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU), 7-5

3. Youssef Hassan/Zdenek Derkas (FS) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Joel Popov (SDSU), 6-3

Order of finish: 3, 2

Fresno State wins doubles point

Singles

1. Marko Goles-Babic (SDSU) vs. Xander Veys (FS), 6-0, 2-6, 5-3, DNF

2. Euan McIntosh (FS) def. Milen Ianakiev (SDSU), 6-2, 6-3

3. Zdenek Derkas (FS) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 6-4, 6-3

4. Joel Popov (SDSU) vs. Henrique Osorio (FS), 6-3, 4-6, DNF

5. Mantas Bugailiskis (FS) def. Santiago Cevallos (SDSU), 6-1, 6-1

6. David Hough (SDSU) vs. Youssef Hassan (FS), 6-4, 3-6, 1-3, DNF

Order of finish: 5, 2, 3*

* - Match-clinching victory

Records:

SDSU (5-13, 1-2 MW); Fresno State (13-10, 3-0 MW)