LA JOLLA, Calif. - The University of California San Diego men's tennis team got back on track Wednesday afternoon, defeating Concordia Irvine, 6-3, at Northview Tennis Courts.
It was a key victory for UC San Diego (9-5), which is currently ranked No. 3 in the West Region, while Concordia Irvine (5-11) is ranked No. 5. It also snapped the Tritons' three-match losing skid.
With just two regional dual matches remaining on their schedule, the Tritons appear to be regaining their momentum at the right time.
“It's a good feeling to not play your best but still win against a good team,” said UC San Diego head coach Timmer Willing. “It was crucial for us to get a good win and stop the slide.”
Wednesday's dual match began with doubles play, as the Tritons won two of three matches to take an early lead.
UC San Diego's No. 1 duo of sophomores Marc Isaia and Sreeganesh Manoharan started it off with a victory over Florian Mayer and Daniel Reddmann, 8-1, and the Tritons' No. 2 team of seniors Eric Tseng and Justin Zhang followed it up with a win against Thomas Kyle and Man Hon Ko, 8-5.
The only slip up in doubles action came when the No. 3 unit of freshman Eskil Jarlskog and junior Richard Han dropped its match to Nikita Katsnelson and Shimon Murakami, 8-5.
In singles play, the top of UC San Diego's lineup helped seal the dual-match victory, as each of the top four Tritons earned wins.
Tseng, ranked 46th in the nation, started singles action with a straight-set victory over Mayer, 7-5, 6-4. However, Concordia Irvine responded and knotted the match 3-3 as Han lost a three-set battle to Kyle, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, in No. 5 singles, before sophomore Marius Ruh fell short in a hard-fought three-set match to Hon Ko in the No. 6 slot, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0.
But the Tritons took over from there, as Jarlskog earned a three-set win against Reddmann, 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-0, in No. 4 singles and Isaia clinched the dual-match win with a three-set victory over Katsnelson in the No. 3 slot, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
With the final outcome decided, Zhang finished off his No. 2 singles match with a win over Joseph Bray, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.
UC San Diego returns to action on Tuesday, April 10, when the Tritons travel to take on crosstown foe Point Loma beginning at 3 p.m.
UC San Diego 6, Concordia University Irvine 3
April 4, 2018 at La Jolla, Calif. (Northview Tennis Courts)
Singles competition
1. #46 Eric Tseng (UCSD) def. Florian Mayer (CUI) 7-5, 6-4
2. Justin Zhang (UCSD) def. Joseph Bray (CUI) 6-1, 5-7, 6-2
3. Marc Isaia (UCSD) def. Nikita Katsnelson (CUI) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
4. Eskil Jarlskog (UCSD) def. Daniel Reddmann (CUI) 3-6, 7-6 (6-1), 6-0
5. Thomas Kyle (CUI) def. Richard Han (UCSD) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
6. Man Hon Ko (CUI) def. Marius Ruh (UCSD) 6-1, 4-6, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Marc Isaia/Sreeganesh Manoharan (UCSD) def. Florian Mayer/Daniel Reddmann (CUI) 8-1
2. Eric Tseng/Justin Zhang (UCSD) def. Thomas Kyle/Man Hon Ko (CUI) 8-5
3. Nikita Katsnelson/Shimon Murakami (CUI) def. Eskil Jarlskog/Richard Han (UCSD) 8-5
Match Notes
Concordia University Irvine 5-11; Regional ranking #5
UC San Diego 9-5; Regional ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,5,6,4,3,2)
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