LA JOLLA, Calif. – In a hard-fought, come-from-behind battle Friday afternoon at Northview Courts, the UC San Diego men's tennis team defeated Sacramento State by a score of 4-3.

With the victory, the Tritons even out their overall record to 2-2. The Hornets fell to 1-1 on the young season.

It was UC San Diego's first-ever win against Sacramento State.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UC San Diego 4, Sacramento State 3
Records: UC San Diego 2-2; Sacramento State 1-1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Although UC San Diego lost the doubles point and the first two singles matches to finish to find itself down 3-0, the Tritons turned it up a notch and won the remaining four singles tilts. Senior Phillip Lan won at No. 2 in straight sets, junior Jett Cole was victorious at No. 4, sophomore Pelayo Rodriguez won at No. 5, and sophomore Charles Qian took his No. 6 match in straight sets.

Rodriguez' 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 win over Rudolfs Aksenoks clinched the come-from-behind victory for UC San Diego.

Qian downed Hayden Rand, 6-2, 6-1, to earn his fourth singles victory of the season. 
 
RESULTS
Doubles

1. Mark Keki/Mate Voros (SAC) def. Daniel Traxler/William Lan, 6-1
2. Ori Maior/Adam Chodur (SAC) vs. Phillip Lan/Pelayo Rodriguez, 4-2 (unfinished)
3. Patrick Wong/Hayden Rand (SAC) def. Eric Silberman/Diogo Tinoco, 6-2  

Order of finish: 1, 3
 
Singles

1. Mark Keki (SAC) def. Daniel Traxler (UCSD), 6-1, 6-2
2. Phillip Lan (UCSD) def. Mate Voros (SAC), 6-1, 7-5
3. Adam Chodur (SAC) def. Diogo Tinoco (UCSD), 6-4, 6-4
4. Jett Cole (UCSD) def. Ori Maior (SAC), 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
5. Pelayo Rodriguez (UCSD) def. Rudolfs Aksenoks (SAC),4-6, 7-5, 6-0
6. Charles Qian (UCSD) def. Hayden Rand (SAC), 6-2, 6-1

Order of finish: 1, 3, 6, 2, 4, 5

QUOTABLE FROM HEAD COACH TIMMER WILLING
"It was a pretty wild, emotional match with losing doubles by playing flat, then getting down 3-0. It looked pretty bad. Our guys were asked a simple question – are you going to survive or surrender? They chose to stay out and just compete. Sacramento State is a very talented and tough team, and we happened to hold on and take it with some effective crucial point play."
 
UP NEXT
The Tritons remain at home for a match against Loyola Marymount on Sunday, January 22, at 1 p.m. The following weekend, UC San Diego hits the road and faces both Pacific and Santa Clara.
 
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 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 NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.