The San Diego State Aztecs (8-8, 3-0 MW) salvaged what would have been an abysmal weekend in the Mission Valley Hilton Spring Invitational by defeating No. 73 Denver, 4-2, at the San Diego Tennis and Racquet Club. In the first two matchups of the Invitational the Aztecs were edged out by No. 32 Memphis, 5-0, and No. 56 Princeton, 4-3, both held at Barnes Tennis Center.
In their first match against Memphis the Aztecs were simply out played. They failed to win a set against the Tigers in doubles play, as the No.1 team for the Aztecs, senior Hunter Nicholas and junior Andranik Khachatryan, and the No. 3 pair, junior Thorsten Bertsch and freshman Milen Ianakiev, both fell to the score of 8-5
The only bright spot for SDSU during singles play against Memphis was that Bertsch and sophomore Freddy Gelbrich were up in their matches, but the Tigers already had sealed the overall match.
The matchup between SDSU and Princeton came down to the final match and, unfortunately for the Aztecs, it did not go their way.
The Aztecs came out and quickly pounced on the Princeton Tigers by sealing the doubles point. The No. 1 team of Nicholas and Khachatryan and the No. 3 duo of Bertsch and Ianakiev reconciled their losses against Memphis the previous day by beating Princeton to the score of 8-1 and 8-5, respectively.
Senior Juan Florez then claimed the first singles point for the Aztecs by defeating Florin Radu, 6-3, 6-2. Princeton then claimed the next three points in singles play, until Bertsch downed Zach McCourt in three sets in the No. 1 slot, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1. Gelbrich, in the deciding match, was unable to hold off Alex Day in the No. 3 spot and fell in three sets, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Although the start of the Invitational was a letdown, SDSU finished strong with the victory against Denver.
For the second straight match the Aztecs recorded the doubles point. However, this time it was due to the No. 1 duo of Nicholas and Khachatryan and the No. 2 team of Jebens and freshman Hendrik Gelbrich who both won by the score of 8-5.
Ianakiev and Nicholas both tallied the first points in singles play in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1 and 6-3, 6-2, respectively. The Pioneers mounted a comeback winning the next two singles points, but freshman Jonas Meinzer saw the end to their run with his first-career dual match singles point, defeating Aidan Talcott, 7-6 (2), 7-5.
Photo by Kelly Smiley, staff photographer
