LA JOLLA, Calif. - Leading after doubles play, the UC San Diego men's tennis team ended up dropping a tight 5-4 decision to UC Santa Cruz Thursday at Northview Courts.
UCSD, ranked 28th nationally in NCAA Division II, fell to 8-8 overall. UCSC, the 10th-ranked team in Division III, improved to 9-7.
The Tritons got out to a 2-1 lead by winning the top two doubles matches. At No. 1, Camill Salomon and Devon Sousa rolled to an 8-2 victory over George Goetz and Erich Koenig. Max Jiganti and Kona Luu won at No. 2, 8-5, against Bryce Bettwy and Erik Rosner.
UCSD increased its lead to 3-1 when Horea Porutiu opened singles play by downing Rosner at No. 6 by scores of 6-3, 6-0.
However, UC Santa Cruz won three of the next four contests that came off, evening the score at 4-4.
The final singles match on the court was No. 3, with UCSD's Rajeev Herekar and UCSC's Bryce Bettwy. Bettwy won the opening set, 6-3, while Herekar returned the favor in the second, taking the frame by the same score. Bettwy came from behind to win the deciding third set, 7-5, giving the match to the Slugs.
Jiganti was UCSD's lone double-victor as he won at No. 2 singles, defeating Andre Halabi, 6-1 and 6-4.
UC San Diego hosts 13th-ranked Grand Canyon on April 1 at 2 p.m.
UC Santa Cruz 5, #28 UC San Diego 4
March 28, 2013 at La Jolla, CA (Northview Tennis Courts)
Singles
1. Erich Koenig (UCSC) def. Camill Salomon (UCSD) 6-0, 7-5
2. Max Jiganti (UCSD) def. Andre Halabi (UCSC) 6-1, 6-4
3. Bryce Bettwy (UCSC) def. Rajeev Herekar (UCSD) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
4. Sam Rodgers (UCSC) def. Ganesh Alagappan (UCSD) 6-4, 6-2
5. Eli Scandalis (UCSC) def. Kona Luu (UCSD) 6-3, 7-5
6. Horea Porutiu (UCSD) def. Erik Rosner (UCSC) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles
1. Camill Salomon/Devon Sousa (UCSD) def. George Goetz/Erich Koenig (UCSC) 8-2
2. Max Jiganti/Kona Luu (UCSD) def. Bryce Bettwy/Erik Rosner (UCSC) 8-5
3. Andre Halabi/Max Littlejohn (UCSC) def. Mark Meyer/Horea Porutiu (UCSD) 8-4
UC Santa Cruz 9-7
UC San Diego 8-8; National ranking #28; Regional ranking #5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,1,5,2,4,3)
-- UCSDtritons.com --
