SDSU MEN'S TENNIS DROPS HOME MATCH TO CAL 4-0

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 1, 2018 (San Diego) - Competing at home for the first time in over a month, San Diego State was unable to draw inspiration from its environs Thursday, falling to visiting California, 4-0, in a non-conference dual match at Aztec Tennis Center. With the loss, SDSU slips to 2-9 on the year, while the Golden Bears even their record at 4-4 overall.

The Aztecs stumbled out the gates in doubles play, dropping both completed matches in short order. The duo of Joel Popov and Arnaud Restifo suffered a 6-0 shutout at the hands of Dominic Barretto and Can Kaya in the No. 3 position, while the tandem of Santiago Cevallos and Rafael Gonzalez Almazan experienced a nearly identical result in the No. 2 slot, dropping a 6-1 decision to Ben Draper and Jack Molloy.

With the doubles outcome no longer in question, Sander Gjoels-Andersen and Nicholas Mitchell had their encounter on the No. 1 court suspended after the 30th-ranked combo of Billy Griffith and J.T. Nishimura grabbed a 4-3 lead.

Subsequently, Restifo fell victim to Griffith at the outset of singles play, with the 79th-ranked player in the nation claiming a 6-0, 6-3 decision at the top of the lineup. Moments later, SDSU’s David Hough was subdued by Jacob Brimm by a 6-2, 6-2 count in the fifth spot, while Gonzalez Alamazan came out on the wrong side of a 6-4, 6-0 score against Molloy on the No. 3 court.

The three remaining matches were left unfinished in the wake of Molloy’s clinching victory. After losing an early tiebreaker, Mitchell was knotted with Draper 3-3 in the second set at No. 6, while Gjoels-Andersen was mired in the same scenario with Nishimura at No. 2 following a 7-5 near-miss in the opening set. In addition, Jan Kirchhoff found himself trailing Barretto 5-3 after dropping the first set 6-2 on court No. 4.

Up Next

The Aztecs will have six tandems competing this weekend at the 129th annual Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championships March 2-4 at La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club in La Jolla, Calif.

California 4, San Diego State 0

March 1, 2018

San Diego, Calif.

Aztec Tennis Center

Doubles

1. #30 Billy Griffith/J.T. Nishimura (Cal) vs. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU), 4-3 DNF

2. Ben Draper/Jack Molloy (Cal) def. Santiago Cevallos/Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU), 6-1

3. Dominic Barretto/Can Kaya (Cal) def. Joel Popov/Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-0

Order of finish: 3, 2

Cal wins doubles point

Singles

1. #79 Billy Griffith (Cal) def. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-0, 6-3

2. J.T. Nishimura (Cal) vs. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 7-5, 3-3 DNF

3. Jack Molloy (Cal) def. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU), 6-4, 6-0

4. Dominic Barretto (Cal) vs. Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU), 6-2, 5-3 DNF

5. Jacob Brimm (Cal) def. David Hough (SDSU), 6-2, 6-2

6. Ben Draper (Cal) vs. Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU), 7-6(6), 3-3 DNF

Order of finish: 1, 5, 3*

* Match-clinching victory

Records: SDSU (2-9, 1-0 MW), Cal (4-4, 0-1 Pac-12)