LA JOLLA, Calif. - In a match-up of top West Region teams Friday, the 13th-ranked University of California San Diego was edged, 5-4, by No. 14 Azusa Pacific in men's tennis action at Northview Courts.
UC San Diego fell to 1-3 on the season and APU improved to 3-0. The Tritons are the second-ranked team in the West and the Cougars are just behind in third.
Tied 4-4, the match came down to the No. 2 singles contest between UCSD's Alexandre Miaule and Azusa's Christian Schmid, ranked 30th nationally. Miaule took the first set, 6-4, but Schmid won the next two by scores of 6-3 and 7-5 to give the Cougars the victory.
In the top singles spot, Triton Eric Tseng, ranked 36th, went three sets with Oliver Frank, the country's top-ranked singles player. Tseng took the opening frame, 6-4, but dropped the next two, 6-2 and 6-3.
Justin Zhang and Marc Isaia earned straight-set wins at No. 3 and No. 4 for UC San Diego.
The Tritons won two of the three doubles matches. At No. 2 Edvin Larsson and Sreeganesh Manoharan took down Schmid and Shepherd Newcomb, 8-5. Tseng and Zhang defeated Cameron Backman and Marnix Pluim, 8-1, at No. 3.
UCSD plays at the University of San Diego on Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.
#14 Azusa Pacific 5, #13 UC San Diego 4
Feb 10, 2017 at La Jolla, CA (Northview Courts)
Singles competition
1. #1 Oliver Frank (APU) def. #36 Eric Tseng (UCSD) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. #30 Christian Schmid (APU) def. Alexandre Miaule (UCSD) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
3. Justin Zhang (UCSD) def. Marnix Pluim (APU) 6-1, 6-4
4. Marc Isaia (UCSD) def. Shepherd Newcomb (APU) 6-3, 7-5
5. Antonio Pejic (APU) def. Marius Ruh (UCSD) 7-6, 6-0
6. Roberto Luconi (APU) def. Sreeganesh Manoharan (UCSD) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Oliver Frank/Antonio Pejic (APU) def. Marc Isaia/Alexandre Miaule (UCSD) 8-3
2. Edvin Larsson/Sreeganesh Manoharan (UCSD) def. Shepherd Newcomb/Christian Schmid (APU) 8-5
3. Eric Tseng/Justin Zhang (UCSD) def. Cameron Backman/Marnix Pluim (APU) 8-1
Match Notes
Azusa Pacific 3-0; National ranking #14; Regional ranking #3
UC San Diego 1-3; National ranking #13; Regional ranking #2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (3,5,4,1,6,2)
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