Results

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's tennis team defeated Fresno State, 5-2, in its home opener Sunday afternoon at Anteater Tennis Stadium.
 
The 'Eaters (2-2) got out to an early lead with a strong start in doubles. At No. 1, Bjorn Hoffmann and Bruce Man-Son-Hing took down Angus Bradshaw/Aleksandr Myagkov, 6-4. Jeremy Merville and Matthew Sah were then able to hold off one match point before closing out a 7-5 win over Alexey Aleschev/Reece Falck on court three to clinch the point.
 
The Bulldogs (2-2) tied it up in singles with a win at No. 4, but UCI took the next two matches for a 3-1 lead. Merville dispatched Aleschev, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 3, while Mike Mkrtchian also had an impressive straight-set victory at No. 6, defeating Henrique Osorio, 6-3, 7-6 (2).
 
After Fresno State picked up another team point on court two, Hoffmann delivered the match-clinching victory at the top of the lineup. Hoffmann, the two-time reigning Big West Athlete of the Week, fought back from a first-set loss to upend three-time All-Mountain West selection Zdenek Derkas, 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (7).
 
Sophomore Matthew Sah put a stamp on the afternoon with a hard-fought 6-7 (1), 7-6 (6), 6-2 win at No. 5.
 

NOTES
• Bjorn Hoffmann and Matthew Sah are tied for the team lead with three singles wins through four matches.
• The Anteaters won the doubles point for the first time this season.
• Hoffmann and Bruce Man-Son-Hing are the only tandem who have played every match together.
• Man-Son-Hing earned his 45th career doubles victory.
• He is now tied for 22nd with assistant coach Tyler Pham among UCI's all-time dual-match doubles win leaders.
• Mark Peneff and Thomas Smart played together at No. 2 for the second-straight outing.
• Sah played with his third different partner (Merville) at No. 3 doubles this season.