AZUSA, Calif. — The No. 15 University of California San Diego men's tennis team lost a hard-fought dual match to No. 5-ranked Azusa Pacific, 8-1, on Friday afternoon.
It was the first dual match of the season for UC San Diego (0-1).
The match began with doubles play, as the Tritons No. 2 team of seniors Eric Tseng and Justin Zhang dropped its match to the No. 10-ranked doubles team of Antonio Pejic and Jakob Schnaitter, 8-6, while UC San Diego's No. 1 duo of sophomores Sreeganesh Manoharan and Marc Isaia fell short against the No. 1-ranked doubles team of seniors Oliver Frank and Christian Schmid, 8-1.
However, the Tritons' No. 3 unit of freshmen Neil Tengbumroong and Eskil Jarlskog defeated Jesse Haas and Ryan Nuno, 8-3, to pull within 2-1 in the dual match.
Singles play began with Jarlskog dropping his match in the No. 4 slot to Ronald Kang, 6-4, 6-2, while Isaia lost a close three-set battle to No. 26-ranked Schnaitter, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, in No. 3 singles.
Zhang lost his match in three sets to No. 9-ranked Schmid, 0-6, 6-4, 6-2, to clinch the victory for Azusa Pacific (2-0).
Junior Richard Han lost a three-set match in No. 5 singles to Nuno, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, sophomore while Marius Ruh came up short against Leahy, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 10-2 in the No. 6 slot.
Tseng had three match points on Frank, the No. 2-ranked singles player in the nation, before falling in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8).
UC San Diego returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 14, when the Tritons play host to Point Loma beginning at 3 p.m.
Doubles:
1. #1 Oliver Frank/Christian Schmid (APUM) def. Marc Isaia/Sreeganesh Manoharan (UCSD) 8-1
2. #10 Tony Pejic/Jakob Schnaitter (APUM) def. Justin Zhang/Eric Tseng (UCSD) 8-6
3. Neil Tengbumroong/Eskil Jarlskog (UCSD) def. Ryan Nuno/Jesse Haas (APUM) 8-3
Singles:
1. #2 Oliver Frank (APUM) def. #21 Eric Tseng (UCSD) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8)
2. #9 Christian Schmid (APUM) def. #39 Justin Zhang (UCSD) 0-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. #26 Jakob Schnaitter (APUM) def. Marc Isaia (UCSD) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
4. Ronald Kang (APUM) def. Eskil Jarlskog (UCSD) 6-4, 6-2
5. Ryan Nuno (APUM) def. Richard Han (UCSD) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
6. Alan Leahy (APUM) def. Marius Ruh (UCSD) 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 10-2
Match Notes:
UC San Diego 0-1; National ranking #15; Regional ranking #3
Azusa Pacific 2-0; National ranking #5; Regional ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,3,2,5,6,1)
#BigWestBound
