ByCarlos ManzanilloStaff Writer
You know what they say about falling off the horse.
You have to get right back on.
Less than 24 hours after being whipped 6-1 by No. 10 Pepperdine,the San Diego State men’s tennis team climbed back into the saddleand galloped its way to a 6-1 victory over UC Irvine Saturdayafternoon.
“We’ve had six straight games against top 10 teams; our guys haveplayed some very tough teams,” head coach John Nelson said. “So theyare tired, mentally and physically.
“We played a tough team today. But our guys competed, and we beatthem soundly.”
Signs of fatigue were evident throughout, as several players gotoff to slow starts in doubles as well as singles play. But the Aztecsbegan the afternoon with victories in No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, whilethe No. 1 team had trouble closing out its match.
Up 7-3 and serving for the match, SDSU was forced into atiebreaker before eventually winning 9-8.
“When we were up, we relaxed a little bit and they hit somewinners,” sophomore Ryan Redondo said. “They were able to come back,but we went back to our game plan, and we were able to pull it out.”
After a good start in doubles, SDSU’s good play spilled over intosingles action.
Oliver Maiberger claimed a point for the home team when hedefeated Irvine’s Carl Lundsden in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 in No. 1singles. Maiberger had a slow start, as he found himself in the holeearly, down 3-1 in the first set, but he would win the next fivegames to claim the first set 6-3. Maiberger cruised in the next setand won easily 6-2 to finish the match.
Besides long baseline rallies, the match was characterized byfrequent verbal outbursts by Lundsden. The Swede’s unintelligiblejawing had many people in the crowd scratching their head andguessing his country of origin.
Each unforced error seemed to bring about more of Lundsden’santics.
“It’s good when someone is yelling like that because it usuallymeans that he is losing,” Maiberger said. “I could not understandwhat he was saying anyway.”
In No. 2 singles, Felix Hardt overcame a slow start of his own. Hewas down almost the entire set but was able to force a tiebreaker.Hardt won the tiebreaker, took the first set and coasted in thesecond 6-2.
“I started off slow, but I kept holding my serve and eventuallyforced a tiebreaker, which I won,” the sophomore from Germany said.”Then, in the second set, I loosened up a little, played my game andI played pretty well.”
It was more of the same for the rest of the Aztecs.
Travis Hasson and Ryan Redondo were straight set victors. Hassonwon 6-3, 7-6, while Redondo won 6-3, 6-3.
Gabe Coren needed three sets to defeat Brian Morton in the No. 6slot 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, and Valentino Pest retired from his match despiteleading 2-1 in the third set to rest an ailing shoulder.
Friday’s loss at Pepperdine marked the end of the most arduouspart of SDSU’s schedule.
They continue their two-game home stand with a match next weekagainst UCSB.
