SDSU MEN'S TENNIS STYMIED AT CAL POLY 5-2

Aztec junior Sander Gjoels-Andersen victorious in  doubles and singles

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

February 3, 2018 (San Luis Obispo) - The San Diego State men’s tennis team played well in spots on Saturday, but was unable to secure its first victory of the season after dropping a 5-2 decision to Cal Poly in a non-conference dual match at Mustang Tennis Complex.

The Aztecs (0-4) ceded a fiercely contested doubles point, reaching match-point in two encounters, but could not grab the early lead. After junior Sander Gjoels-Andersen combined with sophomore Nicholas Mitchell for a 6-2 victory over the Mustangs’ Roman Shenkiryk and Andrew Whitehouse in the No. 1 position, junior Raul de la Torre and sophomore Rafael Gonzalez Almazan came out on the wrong side of a 7-5 score in the third spot against Dominic Bechard and Karl Enander.

All eyes quickly turned to the No. 2 court, where the pairing of senior Santiago Cevallos and sophomore Arnaud Restifo found themselves in a tight battle with Axel Damiens and Josh Ortlip before suffering a tough 7-6 setback.

Cal Poly (5-1) extended its lead to 2-0 in singles competition when Alexander Stater emerged with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Jan Kirchhoff in the fifth spot. Moments later, SDSU finally dented the scoreboard after Gjoels-Andersen recorded his second win of the day with a 6-4, 7-5 decision over Damiens at No. 3.

The teams split the next two matches, with sophomore Joel Popov falling short against Antoine Noel by a  6-4, 6-4 tally in the fourth position, while Gonzalez Almazan posted an identical score in a conquest of Shenkiryk in the sixth slot.

Trailing 3-2, the Aztecs were unable to get the equalizer, as Cevallos ran out of steam in a three-set loss to Ortlip at No. 1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, while Restifo experienced a similar fate against Bechard in the second spot, 6-0, 6-7(4), 6-2, to account for the final outcome.

San Diego State continues its month-long road swing next week when it squares off against No. 15 Mississippi State on Friday, Feb. 9 in Starkville, Miss.

Cal Poly 5, San Diego State 2

February 3, 2018

San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Mustang Tennis Complex

Doubles

1. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU) def. Roman Shenkiryk/Andrew Whitehouse (CP), 6-2

2. Axel Damiens/Josh Ortlip (CP) def. Santiago Cevallos/Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 7-6

3. Dominic Bechard/Karl Enander (CP) def. Raul de La Torre/Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU), 7-5

Order of finish: 1, 3, 2

Cal Poly wins doubles point

Singles

1. Josh Ortlip (CP) def. Santiago Cevallos (SDSU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2

2. Dominic Bechard (CP) def. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-0, 6-7(4), 6-2

3. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU) def. Axel Damiens (CP), 6-4, 7-5

4. Antoine Noel (CP) def. Joel Popov (SDSU), 6-4, 6-4

5. Alexander Stater (CP) def. Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU), 6-2, 6-2

6. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Roman Shenkiryk (CP), 6-4, 6-4

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

* Match-clinching victory

Records: SDSU (0-4), Cal Poly (5-1)