SDSU MEN'S TENNIS WINS 4-3 THRILLER OVER MEMPHIS

Aztecs win second straight dual match to close out San Diego Spring Classic

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 24, 2019 (San Diego) - San Diego State wrapped up its weekend slate in the San Diego Spring Classic with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Memphis Sunday evening at Aztec Tennis Center.

Jan Kirchhoff supplied the clinching point with a three-set triumph at No. 3 singles to help SDSU win its second straight and move to 7-6 on the season. Meanwhile, the Tigers slip to 10-9 overall with the loss.

The Aztecs shuffled their doubles lineup and the results paid off handsomely with a sweep in two completed matches. Sander Gjoels-Andersen joined forces with Ignacio Martinez for the first time since last October and promptly pinned a 6-3 defeat on the duo of Oscar Cutting and David Stevenson in the No. 1 spot.

In addition, Rafael Gonzalez Almazan and Nicholas Mitchell emerged victorious in their first pairing of the season after knocking off Matt Story and Jeremy Taylor by a 6-3 count on court No. 3.

With the doubles point safely in tow, Kirchhoff and Fabian Roensdorf had their encounter at No. 2 suspended after forging a 5-4 lead over Jan Pallares and Patrick Sydow.

Pallares put Memphis on the board and evened the score at 1-1 after dispatching Roensdorf, 6-1, 6-1, in the No. 2 position to earn the first singles decision. However, Gonzalez Almazan quickly defeated his Tiger adversary Turner Voges at No. 6 by a 6-3, 6-2 tally, setting a pattern for the remainder of the dual, as the two sides traded proverbial punches.

Cutting got past Arnaud Restifo in the fifth position, 7-5, 6-3, before Gjoles-Andersen put SDSU back in front 3-2 after dismissing Chris Patzanovsky at the top of the ladder, 7-5, 6-4.

Memphis extended the match thanks to the efforts of Story, who outlasted Martinez in three sets in the No. 4 slot, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.

With the team score knotted at 3-3 all eyes turned to the No. 3 court, where Kirchhoff rallied from an early to deficit to beat Taylor, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, as his Aztec teammates erupted in jubilation.

UP NEXT

San Diego State will have little time off to savor its victory before Eastern Washington invades Aztec Tennis Center for another non-conference dual match on Tuesday, March 26 starting at 2 p.m. Admission to all SDSU home tennis matches is free.

San Diego State 4, Memphis 3

March 24, 2019

San Diego, Calif.

Aztec Tennis Center

Doubles

1. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Ignacio Martinez (SDSU) def. Oscar Cutting/David Stevenson (MEM), 6-2

2. Jan Kirchhoff/Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU) vs. Jan Pallares/Patrick Sydow (MEM), 5-4, DNF

3. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU) def. Matt Story/Jeremy Taylor (MEM), 6-3

Order of finish: 1, 3

SDSU wins doubles point

Singles

1. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU) def. Chris Patzanovsky (MEM), 7-5, 6-4

2. Jan Pallares (MEM) def. Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU), 6-1, 6-1

3. Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU) def. Jeremy Taylor (MEM), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

4. Matt Story (MEM) def. Ignacio Martinez (SDSU), 6-3, 1-6, 7-5

5. Oscar Cutting (MEM) def. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 7-5, 6-3

6. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Turner Voges (MEM), 6-3, 6-2

Order of finish: 2, 6, 5, 1, 4, 3*

* Match-clinching victory

Records: SDSU (7-6), Memphis (10-9)