Aztecs net two singles victories
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo: Jan Kirchhoff was a winner at No. 4 singles on Wednesday vs. Denver. Courtesy goaztecs.com
March 21, 2018 (San Diego) - San Diego State opened its lengthy homestand in tough fashion Wednesday with a 4-2 loss to Denver in the first match of a doubleheader at Aztec Tennis Center.
With the setback, SDSU (2-13) dropped its sixth decision in a row, as the Pioneers (7-5) captured the early doubles point before claiming three victories in single competition.
The tandem of Raul de la Torre and Jan Kirchhoff emerged with a 6-4 triumph over Pedro Fernandez Del Valle and Mattia Ros at No. 2 doubles. However, DU escaped with the point after Jorge Nunez and Wyatt Lovera dispatched the Aztec duo of Rafael Gonzalez Almazan and Arnaud Restifo by a 6-1 count in the third position, while Jesse Ruder-Hook and Matt Summers outlasted the pairing of Sander Gjoels-Andersen and Nicholas Mitchell at the top of the rotation, 7-5.
Trailing 1-0, SDSU evened the score when Jan Kirchhoff knocked off Ignatius Castelino in straight sets at No. 4 singles, 6-1, 6-2. However, the Pioneers took a commanding 3-1 lead shortly thereafter as Summers got past Gjoels-Andersen on court two, 6-3, 6-4, while Ros subdued Restifo in the No. 1 spot, 6-4, 6-4.
The Aztecs inched closer with Ignacio Martinez’s victory over Ruder-Hook in the No. 3 position. After taking the first set 6-2, the SDSU freshman found himself on the wrong side of 5-2 score in the second before battling back to win in a tiebreaker 7-6(6).
The Scarlet and Black fought valiantly to extend the dual, but fell agonizingly short. Gonzalez Almazan split the first two sets in his encounter with Eric Morris on the No. 5 court, 6-3, 3-6, before grabbing a 4-2 advantage in third stanza. However, the match was halted when teammate David Hough was dismissed in three sets as well by Nunez at No. 6, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4.
San Diego State returns to action this evening when it engages Liberty in the nightcap of its twin-bill, starting at 6 p.m. PT.
Denver 4, San Diego State 2
March 21, 2018
San Diego, Calif.
Aztec Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Jesse Ruder-Hook/Matt Summers (DU) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen/Nicholas Mitchell (SDSU), 7-5
2. Raul de la Torre/Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU) def. Pedro Fernandez Del Valle/Mattia Ros (DU), 6-4
3. Jorge Nunez/Wyatt Lovera (DU) def. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan/Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Denver wins doubles point
Singles
1. Mattia Ros (DU) def. Arnaud Restifo (SDSU), 6-4, 6-4
2. Matt Summers (DU) def. Sander Gjoels-Andersen (SDSU), 6-3, 6-4
3. Ignacio Martinez (SDSU def. Jesse Ruder-Hook (DU), 6-4, 7-6(6)
4. Jan Kirchhoff (SDSU) def. Ignatius Castelino (DU), 6-1, 6-2
5. Rafael Gonzalez Almazan (SDSU) vs. Eric Morris (DU), 6-3, 3-6, 4-2, DNF
6. Jorge Nunez (DU) def. David Hough (SDSU), 6-0, 3-6, 6-4
Order of finish: 4, 2, 1, 3, 6*
* Match-clinching victory
Records: SDSU (2-13), Denver (7-5)