After sweeping a doubleheader the previous weekend against the University of Nevada (4-3) and University of California, Riverside (5-2) at the Aztec Tennis Center, the No. 50 San Diego State men’s tennis team struggled mightily this past weekend in Durham, N.C.
SDSU (2-2, 1-0 MW) first fell to No. 42 University of North Carolina 4-1, and the following day the Aztecs couldn’t score a point against No. 54 University of Oregon, taking a 4-0 loss to the Ducks in the consolation match in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kick-Off Weekend.
The Aztecs failed to record the doubles point in either match, with only one victory in six of their doubles matches. The No. 3 team of senior Juan Florez and freshman Milen Ianakiev registered the lone victory against Oregon’s junior Daniel Sardu and freshman Jayson Amos, 6-2.
Senior Hunter Nicholas and junior Thorsten Bertsch, the No.1 doubles team for the Aztecs, failed to win a match last weekend against the UNC duo of sophomore Brett Clark and freshman Brayden Schnur, 6-4, and against the Ducks’ duo of sophomore Kevin Farin and senior Robin Cambier, 6-3.
The No. 2 squad of redshirt sophomore Freddy Gelbrich and freshman Hendrik Jebens also failed to tally a victory for the Aztecs in doubles play, although they led their first match against Tar Heels junior Oystein Steiro and senior Nelson Vick 5-4, the No. 50 doubles team in the nation, prior to the Tar Heels clinching the doubles point.
Unfortunately for the Aztecs, their singles matches mirrored their doubles play, with the only point for SDSU all weekend coming when Gelbrich defeated No. 36 Clark of UNC in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.
SDSU’s Bertsch, No. 69 in the nation in singles play, fell to UNC’s Schnur, 6-2, 6-3, while Nicholas was held off by UNC’s No. 17 freshman Ronnie Schnieder, 6-4, 6-2, and SDSU’s Maxi Boewer-Stelter was defeated by Vick, 6-1, 6-4 to seal the match for the Tar Heels, 4-1.
The Ducks wrapped up their match with the Aztecs with three straight singles victories. Gelbrich was defeated by sophomore Daan Maasland, 6-2, 6-3, followed by Jebens falling to Sardu, 6-4, 6-4, and Ianakiev faltering to Amos, 6-5 (7-5), 6-5 (7-5).
The Aztecs’ next match will be on the road on Sunday, Feb. 9 against their Mountain West foe Fresno State.
