Box Score SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The UC Irvine men's tennis team struggled to find any momentum in its 2018 dual-match season opener, dropping a 7-0 decision to San Diego Friday at Skip and Cindy Hogan Tennis Stadium.

The Toreros (1-0) took the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. On court three, sophomore Bruce Man-Son-Hing and junior Vatsal Bajpai were up, 4-1, before their match was cut short. Juniors Sasha Krasnov and Luis Lopez fell to Nico Borter/Gui Osorio at the top spot, while seniors Mason Hansen and Luca Maquard dropped a 6-2 decision to August Holmgren and Joel Gamerov.

San Diego continued to roll in singles as Osorio defeated Lopez at No.1, before Gamerov topped Hansen in the third spot. The Toreros clinched the match at the No. 6 position.

"We were without two of our top three players in the singles lineup today due to illness," said head coach Mike Saunders. "But I was proud of how our guys gave it their all and competed with passion and intensity down to the last point."

In his first singles match as an 'Eater, Krasnov battled with Holmgren in the No. 2 spot but ultimately fell, 3-6, 7-6, 3-10.

Freshman Antoine Barthe, playing in his first collegiate match, went the distance with Alexandros Araouzos at the No. 5 spot but came up short suffering a 7-5, 2-6, 5-10 defeat.

Sasha and Antoine played their first match as Anteaters and both had chances to win but came up short in the deciding tie break."

The 'Eaters were without two of their top three players including senior Sebastian Heim who was ranked No. 114 in the Oracle/ITA preseason rankings.

UCI (0-1) returns home for a doubleheader against Grand Canyon (9 a.m.) and UC San Diego (2:20 p.m.) Sunday, Jan. 21^st at Anteater Tennis Stadium. 

Singles

1. Gui Osorio (USD) def. Luis Lopez (UCI): 6-4, 6-2
2. August Holmgren (USD) def. Sasha Krasnov (UCI): 6-3, 7-6, 10-3
3. Joel Gamerov (USD) def. Mason Hansen (UCI): 6-4, 6-2
4. Nico Borter (USD) def. Vatsal Bajpai (UCI): 6-5, 6-2
5. Alexandros Araouzos (USD) def. Antoine Barthe (UCI): 5-7, 6-2, 10-5
6. David Norfeldt (USD) def. Bruce Man-Son-Hing  (UCI): 6-0, 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 3, 6*, 4, 2, 5

Doubles

1. Borter/Osorio (USD) def. Krasnov/Lopez (UCI): 6-1
2. Holmgren/Gamerov (USD) def. Hansen/Marquard (UCI): 6-2
3. Man-Son-Hing/Bajpai (UCI) vs. Keersintonpong/Norfeldt (USD): 4-1 unfinished
Order of finish: 1, 2*