LA JOLLA, Calif. — Despite continuing its strong play in doubles action, the University of California San Diego men's tennis team fell short against Middlebury College, 6-3, on a beautiful Thursday afternoon at Northview Tennis Courts.
UC San Diego (8-5) competed in singles play without senior and 22nd-ranked Eric Tseng, although he was available for doubles action.
The Tritons won two of three doubles matches, beginning with freshmen Neil Tengbumroong and Eskil Jarlskog picking up a win over Peter Martin and Timo van der Geest, 8-5, in the No. 3 slot, before the No. 1 duo of sophomores Marc Isaia and Sreeganesh Manoharan dropped its match to Lubomir Cuba and Kyle Schlanger, 8-6.
However, UC San Diego's No. 2 unit of Tseng and fellow senior Justin Zhang topped William de Quant and Nate Eazor, 8-5, as the Tritons took a 2-1 lead into singles.
With Tseng sitting out, singles play began with Zhang dropping his No. 1 singles match against Cuba, 6-1, 6-4, but Tengbumroong came through with a No. 4 singles victory over van der Geest, 6-3, 6-4.
Middlebury College (10-1) tied the dual match at 3-3 when Jarlskog fell short in his No. 3 singles contest against Eazor, 6-1, 6-4, and took the lead when Isaia lost his match to Schlanger, 6-3, 6-3, in the No. 2 slot.
Sophomore Marius Ruh dropped his No. 5 singles match to Andre Xiao, 7-5, 6-3, and the dual match ended with junior Richard Han coming up short in a three-set battle against Alex Vanezis, 4-6, 7-5, 10-6.
UC San Diego will take a few days to regroup before a home showdown against West Region foe Concordia Irvine on Wednesday, April 4, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
#BigWestBound
Middlebury 6, UC San Diego 3
Mar 29, 2018 at La Jolla, CA (Northview Tennis Courts)
Singles competition
1. Lubomir Cuba (MIDDMT) def. Justin Zhang (UCSD) 6-1, 6-4
2. Kyle Schlanger (MIDDMT) def. Marc Isaia (UCSD) 6-3, 6-3
3. Nate Eazor (MIDDMT) def. Eskil Jarlskog (UCSD) 6-1, 6-4
4. Neil Tengbumroong (UCSD) def. Timo van der Geest (MIDDMT) 6-3, 6-4
5. Andre Xiao (MIDDMT) def. Marius Ruh (UCSD) 7-5, 6-3
6. Alex Vanezis (MIDDMT) def. Richard Han (UCSD) 4-6, 7-5, 10-6
Doubles competition
1. Lubomir Cuba/Kyle Schlanger (MIDDMT) def. Marc Isaia/Sreeganesh Manoharan (UCSD) 8-6
2. Eric Tseng/Justin Zhang (UCSD) def. William de Quant/Nate Eazor (MIDDMT) 8-5
3. Neil Tengbumroong/Eskil Jarlskog (UCSD) def. Peter Martin/Timo van der Geest (MIDDMT) 8-5
Match Notes
Middlebury 10-1
UC San Diego 8-5; Regional ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,4,3,2,5,6)
