Aztecs’ Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (below) victorious at No. 5 singles
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
February 25, 2018 (Malibu) - The San Diego State men’s tennis team ended the weekend on a sour note after dropping a 6-1 decision to Pepperdine in a non-conference dual match Sunday at Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center. With the loss, the Aztecs slip to 2-8 on the season, while the Waves move to 2-6 overall.
SDSU stumbled out of the gates, losing both completed doubles matches. The tandem of Joel Popov and Arnaud Restifo suffered a 6-2 setback at the hands of Brian Berdusco and Lautaro Pane in the No. 3 position, while the duo of Sander Gjoels-Andersen and Nicholas Mitchell experienced a similar fate in a 6-3 defeat to Dane Esses and Dennis Uspensky in the No. 1 spot.
Meanwhile on the No. 2 court, Santiago Cevallos and Rafael Gonzalez Almazan found themselves trailing Max Mendelsohn and Yusuf Khamis by a narrow 5-4 margin when the contest was halted after Pepperdine secured the early point.
Trailing 1-0, the Aztecs were unable to regroup in singles, as Gonzalez Almazan provided the lone bright spot with a 6-2, 6-1 conquest of Pane in the No. 5 position.
However, the Waves were a tough nut to crack on this day despite their own modest record, taking five of the remaining encounters in straight-set fashion.
Restifo fell victim to Esses in the second spot by a 6-2, 6-1 tally, while Cevallos dropped a 6-2, 6-4 decision to Uspensky at the top of the ladder. Moments later, Pepperdine collected the requisite fourth point when Mendelsohn dispatched Ignacio Martinez, 6-4, 6-1, on court No. 6.
With the outcome no longer in question, the final two matches continued to their finish. However, Popov was subdued by Khamis in the fourth slot, 6-2, 6-2, while Gjoels-Andersen came up short to Berdusco, 6-1, 6-4, at No. 3.
Up Next
SDSU will compete in its first home match in over a month when it plays host to the 36th-ranked California Golden Bears on Thursday, March 1 starting at 1:30 p.m. Select Aztecs will also partake in the annual Pacific Coast Doubles Championships, March 2-4, in La Jolla, Calif.
Pepperdine 6, San Diego State 1
February 25, 2018
Malibu, Calif.
Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Dane Esses/Dennis Uspensky (PEPP) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU), 6-3
2. Max Mendelsohn/Yusuf Khamis (PEPP) vs. Santiago Cevallos/Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU), 5-4 DNF
3. Brian Berdusco/Lautaro Pane (PEPP) def. Joel Popov/Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 3
Pepperdine wins doubles point
Singles
1. Dennis Uspensky (PEPP) def. Santiago Cevallos (SDSU), 6-2, 6-4
2. Dane Esses (PEPP) def. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-2, 6-1
3. Brian Berdusco (PEPP) vs. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 6-1, 6-4
4. Yusuf Khamis (PEPP) def. Joel Popov (SDSU), 6-2, 6-2
5. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) def. Lautaro Pane (PEPP), 6-2, 6-1
6. Max Mendelsohn (PEPP) def. Ignacio Martinez (SDSU), 6-4, 6-1
Order of finish: 2, 5, 1, 6*, 4, 3
* Match-clinching victory
Records: SDSU (2-8, 1-0 MW), Pepperdine (2-6, 0-0 WCC)