IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine won its third-straight match after defeating Boston College, 5-2, Monday afternoon at Anteater Tennis Stadium.
 
The win moves UCI to 5-3 on the season. BC drops to 4-6 overall.
 
DOUBLES
> UCI won the doubles point with victories at Nos. 2-3. The Anteaters led, 5-4, at No. 1 but the match went unfinished
> Mason Hansen and Daniel Gealer got things started with a 6-3 win at No. 2
> Bruce Man-Son-Hing and Luis Lopez clinched the point after defeating BC's Conor Mullins and Markus Nordby, 6-2
 
SINGLES
> The Anteaters won on courts 1, 3, 5 and 6
> UCI took a 2-0 lead with a win at No.3 as Hansen defeated Nordby in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2
> Boston College rallied and picked up wins at No. 4 and 2 to knot the match 2-2
> Vatsal Bajpai gave UCI a 3-2 lead with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory on court 6
> Lopez clinched the match with a win at No. 1 over BC's Derek Austin, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
> Aaron Bailey followed that up with a 4-6, 7-6, 11-9 victory at No. 5
 
QUOTE FROM HEAD COACH MIKE SAUNDERS
"Another battle to the very end with a fiercely competitive Boston College team. They are well coached and great competitors. I was proud of how we started fast today. We earned the first break on all three doubles courts and rode the momentum to close out the doubles point, which was especially crucial today without Sasha in the lineup. Mason played another strong singles match to take us 2-0. Boston College fought back winning at 3 and 2 singles in straight sets to even the team match score to 2-2. Vatsal played with resiliency and raised his level in the third after struggling in the second. His victory gave us a 3-2 team lead with Luis and Aaron in dogfights. With Aaron down a set and a break, Luis played with courage and conviction to secure the win. I was incredibly proud of how Luis won today - with his strong mind and willful heart. Aaron then battled back, saved a match point to win 11-9 in the third set tie break. A great team win that came from us being the best competitors we can be."

UP NEXT
> UCI continues its homestand with a match against Villanova tomorrow (March 5) at 10 a.m.
 
NOTES
> Lopez earned his first win at No. 1 singles of the season
> Hansen improved to 3-0 at No. 3 singles
> Bruce Man-Son-Hing and Luis Lopez are 5-0 as a doubles team
 
UC Irvine 5, Boston College 2
Doubles
1. Vatsal Bajpai/Mateusz Smolicki (UCI) vs. Derek Austin/Sean Mullins (BC), 5-4 (UF)
2. Mason Hansen/Daniel Gealer (UCI) vs. Max Palmer/Chris Palmer (BC), 6-3
3. Bruce Man-Son-Hing/Luis Lopez (UCI) vs. Conor Mullins/Markus Nordby (BC), 6-2
Order: 2,3,1
 
Singles
1. Lopez (UCI) def. Austin (BC), 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
2. Chris Grasel (BC) def. Smolicki (UCI), 7-6 (6-0), 6-1
3. Hansen (UCI) def. Nordby (BC), 6-2, 6-2
4. Max Mendelsohn (BC) def. Gealer (UCI, 4-6, 0-6
5. Aaron Bailey (UCI) def. C. Mullins (BC), 4-6, 7-6, 11-9
6. Bajpai (UCI) def. Wills Tutecky (BC), 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
Order: 3, 4, 2, 6, 1, 5