Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
No. 65 UC Santa Barbara
`Dogs Outlast No. 65 UC Santa Barbara
4/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
By Josh Mitchell
jomitchell@csufresno.com
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. -- For the second straight day, the Fresno State men's tennis team went down to the wire, but again the group came out with a 4-3 win, this time over No. 65 UC Santa Barbara on Monday afternoon at Spalding G. Wathen Tennis Center.
The Gauchos (11-9) were just latest team ranked in the ITA Top 75 to fall to the Bulldogs. Fresno State just finished a brutal stretch in which the team faced five ranked opponents in six matches during the past 13 days. After starting the season 0-4 against ranked opponents, Fresno State has won three of its last five.
The Bulldogs(15-9) got off to a good start in doubles play behind a quick 6-0 win from Sai Kartik Nakireddi and Nikolas Papic on Court Three as the two won their 13th match of the year when playing together. In the No. 1 match, Euan McIntosh and Youssef Hassan battled to a tiebreak, but were unable to slow down a fast start in the break by UCSB's Nathan Eshmade and Erik Johnsson as the Bulldog pair dropped the tiebreak.
In the final doubles match, Adam Glynn and Eric Komati, who were playing catch up for much of the match were able to a force a tiebreak after holding serve while down 6-5. The duo then took control, first from Komati and then with Glynn following as they allowed Ziad Sultan and Teague Hamilton to score just two points during the break.
McIntosh gave Fresno State a 2-0 advantage, winning his second match in as many days in the No. 3 spot, topping Sultan 6-3, 6-1. The Gauchos pulled one back as Eshmade finished off Papic 6-1, 6-2 on Court One, but at No. 2, Kartik Nakireddi took care of Morgan Mays in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.
One point away from dropping its second dual match in the last three days, a gutty Gaucho team that has gone toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the country this season grabbed wins at both No. 5 and No. 6 to put the dual match squarely on Glynn and Cody Rakela on Court Five.
After winning the first set 6-3, Glynn took the upper hand in the second set, but Rakela wouldn't go away and managed to force a tiebreak. Glynn, though, kept his poise and came up with clutch shots during the break on his way to winning the tiebreak, 7-4.
The 4-3 result was Fresno State's sixth win of the season in nine matches that have gone down to the final point.
The Bulldogs will get four days to recover before hosting Nevada on Senior Day on April 18. The 12 p.m., dual match will mark the time that Sai Kartik Nakireddi will play at Spalding G. Wathen Tennis.
UC Santa Barbara vs Fresno State
Apr 13, 2015 at Fresno, Calif.
(Spalding G. Wathen Tennis Center)
Fresno State 4, #65 UC Santa Barbara 3
Singles competition
1. Nathan Eshmade (UCSB) def. Nikolas Papic (FS) 6-1, 6-2
2. Sai Kartik Nakireddi (FS) def. Morgan Mays (UCSB) 6-3, 6-1
3. Euan McIntosh (FS) def. Ziad Sultan (UCSB) 6-3, 6-1
4. Adam Glynn (FS) def. Cody Rakela (UCSB) 6-3, 7-6 (4)
5. Erik Johnsson (UCSB) def. Eric Komati (FS) 6-2, 6-1
6. Teague Hamilton (UCSB) def. Youssef Hassan (FS) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Nathan Eshmade/Erik Johnsson (UCSB) def. Euan McIntosh/Youssef Hassan (FS) 7-6 (2)
2. Adam Glynn/Eric Komati (FS) def. Ziad Sultan/Teague Hamilton (UCSB) 7-6 (2)
3. Sai Kartik Nakireddi/Nikolas Papic (FS) def. Morgan Mays/Andrew Riminton (UCSB) 6-0
Match Notes:
UC Santa Barbara 11-9; National ranking #65
Fresno State 15-9
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2^); Singles (3,1,2,5,6,4^)
Players Mentioned
