Saturday, 01/28/2012

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --- No. 40 UC Irvine was the victim circumstances Saturday at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. The No. 35 Fresno State Bulldogs (1-0) managed to get the necessary four points and cut the 'Eaters afternoon short.

The 'Eaters (1-2) doubles played well as the pairings of Sam Gould (Hamilton, New Zealand / St. Kentigren College Prep ) / Jon Kazarian (Rancho Palos Verdes / Peninsula HS) and Fabian Matthews (Newport Beach / Corona del Mar HS) / Ryan Cheung (Irvine / University HS) each took their doubles opponents to 8-6 before giving up the doubles point. Jacob Jung (Upland / Options for Youth HS) and Shuhei Shibahara (Rancho Palos Verdes / Peninsula HS) trailed 7-6 as the Bulldogs clinched the point.

Singles action was just as tough as four Anteaters forced their opponents to a seventh point. Cheung was able to win his first set, 7-5. Gould and Shibahara would fall first in straight sets. Cheung would lose his first set advantage and eventually drop his match in three sets to give Fresno State the victory.

Mika DeCoster (Ladera Ranch / Laurel Springs HS) was trailing his second set at the moment after forcing a lengthy tiebreaker in his first set. Kazarian and Matthews had each earned a split after two sets and were winning their third set as the match ended. Matthews was en route to an upset of No. 14-ranked Remi Boutillier.

UCI returns to the court Sunday at 10:00 a.m. to face the loser of the UCLA/ Alabama match at Los Angeles Tennis Center in the second leg of the ITA Kickoff Classic.

#35 Fresno State 4, #40 UC Irvine 0
Jan 28, 2012 at Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles Tennis Center)

Doubles

1. Alcantara/Boutillier (FSU) def. Cheung/Matthews (UCI) -- 8-6
2. Ayoun/Leslie (FSU) vs. Jung/Shibahara (UCI) -- 7-6, unfinished
3. Diami/Sai Kartik Nakireddi (FSU) def. Gould/Kazarian (UCI) -- 8-6

Fresno State Wins Doubles Point

Singles

1. #14 Remi Boutillier (FSU) vs. Fabian Matthews (UCI) 7-5, 3-6, 3-4, unfinished
2. #44 Francis Alcantara (FSU) def. Sam Gould (UCI) 7-5, 6-3
3. Jean-Charles Diami (FSU) def. Ryan Cheung (UCI) 5-7, 6-1, 6-3
4. Zachary Leslie (FSU) vs. Jon Kazarian (UCI) 7-5, 3-6, 1-2, unfinished
5. David Ayoun (FSU) def. Shuhei Shibahara (UCI) 6-2, 6-3
6. Reid deLaubenfels (FSU) vs. Mika DeCoster (UCI) 7-6 (5), 5-3, unfinished

Match Notes:
UC Irvine 1-2; National ranking #40
Fresno State 1-0; National ranking #35
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (5,2,3)