TEN: Doubles point hands Denver victory over UCSB

DENVER, Colo. – UCSB dropped a close decision to the University of Denver Pioneers in the third match of their Spring Break road trip held at the Gates Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Gauchos lost the doubles point and split the singles matches en route to the 4-3 loss.

The match again came down to the doubles point, where the Gauchos were narrowly edged by the Pioneers at courts 1 and 2. The Gauchos lost at court 1, where Mbonisi Ndimande/Ziad Sultan dropped their match against Bonin/Vorkefeld 8-4. UCSB and DU were locked in close battles at courts 2 and 3, but the Pioneers grabbed the doubles point after Krammer/Biasion defeated Gaucho duo Benjamin Recknagel/Axel Bouillin 9-8 (3). Play at court 3 was suspended after Denver claimed the point.

The Gauchos were able to split the singles matches, winning at courts 2, 3, and 4, though two of those wins came after the Pioneers already clinched the victory.

Denver’s Alex Clinkenbeard and #67 Enej Bonin defeated the Gauchos’ Andrew Riminton and Benjamin Recknagel at courts 6 and 1, respectively, to grab a quick 3-0 lead. UCSB’s Axel Bouillin put the Gauchos on the board, rolling past Henry Craig at the No. 3 position, 6-2, 6-0. The Pioneers won the match with a win at court 5, where Biasion defeated Sasha Gryaznov 6-2, 6-1.

Senior Mbonisi Ndimande added a point for the Gauchos, defeating Jens Vorkefeld 6-1, 6-4 and sophomore Ziad Sultan made the score 4-3 with a win at court 4, beating Max Krammer 6-1, 6-4.

The Gauchos will conclude their road trip in Colorado Springs, taking on the U.S. Air Force Academy on Sunday, Mar. 31 at 9 AM (MT).

RESULTS

DOUBLES

1. Bonin/Vorkefeld (DU) def. Ndimande/Sultan (UCSB) 8-4
2. Krammer/Biasion (DU) def. Recknagel/Bouillin (UCSB) 9-8 (3)
3. Craig/Manley (DU) vs. Riminton/Seemann (UCSB) Unfinished, 8-7

SINGLES

1. #67 Enej Bonin (DU) def. Benjamin Recknagel (UCSB) 6-0, 6-2
2. Mbonisi Ndimande (UCSB) def. Jens Vorkefeld (DU) 6-1, 6-4
3. Axel Bouillin (UCSB) def. Henry Craig (DU) 6-2, 6-0
4. Ziad Sultan (UCSB) def. Max Krammer (DU) 6-1, 6-4
5. Fabio Biasion (DU) def. Sasha Gryaznov (UCSB) 6-2, 6-1
6. Alex Clinkenbeard (DU) def. Andrew Riminton (UCSB) 6-0, 6-1

Order of Finish: Doubles (1, 2); Singles (6, 1, 3, 5, 2, 4)