LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego's men's tennis team found themselves in a hole early against Dartmouth Sunday afternoon and, despite their best efforts, the Tritons could not dig their way out in time. The visiting Big Green took the win, 4-0.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Dartmouth 4, UC San Diego 0
Records: UC San Diego 3-10 (1-0 Big West); Dartmouth 7-3 (0-0 Ivy League)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the first time in two weeks, UC San Diego lost the doubles point. Freshman Pelayo Rodriguez and junior Phillip Lan did collect a win at No. 3, but it was sandwiched between Dartmouth victories at No. 1 and No. 2, which gave the point to the visitors.
 
In singles play, the Tritons did their best to battle back. Rodriguez swept his first set at No. 4, 6-0, and after sophomore Jett Cole dropped his first set at No. 5, he surged back to sweep the second. But those would be the only sets UC San Diego took before the end of the match, as Dartmouth earned the points at No. 1, No. 6, and No. 3 to clinch victory. Rodriguez led, 2-0, in a decisive third set when the match ended.
 
RESULTS
Doubles
1. Anders Gibbons/Dominik Pauli (DART) def. Daniel Traxler/Jett Cole (UCSD), 6-4
2. Alex Knox-Jones/Pierce Widdecombe (DART) def. Eric Silberman/Zach Ermert (UCSD), 6-4
3. Pelayo Rodriguez/Phillip Lan (UCSD) def. Logan Chang/Hikaru Takeda (DART), 6-4
 
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2

Singles
1. Carlos Alvarez (DART) def. Daniel Traxler (UCSD), 6-1, 6-2
2. Phillip Lan (UCSD) vs. Anders Gibbons (DART), 4-6, 2-4, dnf
3. Alex Knox-Jones (DART) def. Zach Ermert (UCSD), 6-1, 7-5
4. Pelayo Rodriguez (UCSD) vs. Pierce Widdecombe (DART), 6-0, 1-6, 2-0 dnf
5. Jett Cole (UCSD) vs. Hikaru Takeda (DART), 4-6, 6-0, dnf
6. Andy Ilie (DART) def. Sahm Irvine (UCSD), 6-2, 6-2
 
Order of finish: 1, 6, 3
 
QUOTABLE
"It was good to see everyone competing again, I didn't think we lost a whole lot when it comes to rhythm and timing," Head Coach Timmer Willing said. "Just mentally, I didn't think we prepared well mentally, just being here, being into the routine. We went through two weeks of solid playing and being on top of everything and then it got loose. That's partly the coaching staff and myself, we gave too much room for today's match and they weren't prepared. That's partly on me, partly on them, and we'll fix it tomorrow."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• The match was delayed for four hours in order to dry out the courts after morning rain showers
• Phillip Lan and Pelayo Rodriguez have now won five of their last six matches at No. 3 doubles, including their last four straight

UP NEXT
The Tritons are right back at it Monday morning for their second Big West Conference match of the season, as UC San Diego welcomes Hawai'i to Northview Tennis Courts. With nothing but clear skies in the forecast, expect the match to start as scheduled at 9:30 a.m. PT.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.