ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. ? The 9th-ranked UC San Diego men's tennis team upended 8th-ranked Barry University by a 5-2 score in one of four NCAA Division II National Quarterfinal matches on Thursday at the Sanlando Park Tennis Complex in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
With the victory, the Tritons improve to 18-6 on the season and advance to the Final Four on Friday where they will face No. 5 Valdosta State who upset No. 3 Armstrong Atlantic State by a 5-4 score in one of the other semifinals. The loss concludes Barry's season with an 18-4 record.
UCSD took control of the match early on by winning all three doubles matches and taking a 3-0 lead into singles play. Bijan Moallemi and Kazumi Negishi posted an 8-2 victory at the No. 3 doubles match for the second consecutive day while Eric Rubens and Blake Meister claimed victory at the top spot by an 8-5 score. Seth Spector and Steven Oechel also won their No. 2 match by the same score as yesterday, defeating Pattrick Rittenauer and Victor Rodriguez by a 9-8 margin.
In singles play, the Pirates picked up their two points with victories at No. 1 and No. 3. The Tritons, however, were able to close out the match with wins at No. 5 and No. 6. Oechel notched a 6-2, 6-3 win over Rodriguez while Negishi recorded a 6-2, 6-4 win over Dirk Benninghaus.
In addition to keeping the Tritons' National Title hopes alive, the win also assures the UCSD men's tennis team of the program's best-ever national finish. Previously, the best national finish for the program was fifth place just two years ago.
Friday's two National Semifinal matches are slated to begin at 9 a.m. while Saturday's National Championship match will also have a 9 a.m. first serve.
UC San Diego 5, Barry 2
Singles:
1. Pattrick Rittenauer (BU) def. Eric Rubens (UCSD) 6-3, 6-4
2. Bijan Moallemi (UCSD) led Roman Werschel (BU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Andrew Sharnov (BU) def. Seth Spector (UCSD) 6-4, 6-0
4. Brandon Low (UCSD) led Manuel Lauter (BU) 7-5, 0-1
5. Steven Oechel (UCSD) def. Victor Rodriguez (BU) 6-2, 6-3
6. Kazumi Negishi (UCSD) def. Dirk Benninghaus (BU) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles:
1. Rubens/Blake Meister (UCSD) def. Sharnov/Werschel (BU) 8-5
2. Spector/Oechel (UCSD) def. Rittenauer/Rodriguez (BU) 9-8
3. Moallemi/Negishi (UCSD) def. Benninghaus/Lauter (BU) 8-2
