The UCSB men’s tennis team was on the wrong end of a thrilling finish for the second time in as many days, falling to No. 41 Fresno State, 4-3, at the Wathen Tennis Center in Fresno.
Alex Konigsfeldt and No. 115-ranked Remi Boutillier were locked in a tight match at No. 2 singles, with the overall score tied at 3-3. Boutiellier came out strong, taking the first set 6-1, but Konigsfeldt dominated the latter stages of the second set winning via tiebreaker 7-5 before losing the third set 6-3, giving Fresno State a 4-3 win.
In other singles action, Benjamin Recknagel continued his strong play at court No. 1 defeating Rikus de Villiers 6-1, 6-2. At No. 5 singles Max Glenn defeated Siddharth Alapati 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 and Philip Therp took down David Ayoun at court No. 6 winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. Taylor Chavez-Goggin and Mathieu Forget were defeated in straight sets at courts No. 3 and No. 4 respectively.
The Gauchos were swept in doubles play and have not secured the doubles point in a match since their March, 21 bout against Eastern Washington.
Up next for the Gauchos is a match against UT Arlington Saturday, April 9 in Arlington, Texas beginning at noon.
No. 41 Fresno State 4 UC Santa Barbara 3
Wathen Tennis Center, Fresno
Doubles
1. No. 17 Boutillier/De Villiers (FS) def. Konigsfeldt/Chavez-Goggin (UCSB), 8-3
2. Alcantara/Diame (FS) def. Recknagel/Forget (UCSB), 8-4
3. Alapati/Ayoun (FS) def. Therp/Jurgensen, 8-7 (9-7)
Order of Finish: 2, 1*, 3
Singles
1. Benjamin Recknagel (UCSB) def. Rikus de Villiers (FS), 6-1, 6-2
2. No. 115 Remi Boutillier (FS) def. Alex Konigsfeldt (UCSB), 1-6, 7-5, 6-3
3. Francis Alcantara (FS) def. Mathieu Forget (UCSB), 6-2, 6-1
4. Jean-Charles Diame (FS) def. Taylor Chavez-Goggin (UCSB), 6-4, 6-3
5. Max Glenn (UCSB) def. Siddharth Alapati (FS), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Philip Therp (UCSB) def. David Ayoun (FS), 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 4, 1, 6, 5, 2*
