Saturday, April 24
Irvine, Calif.
11:00 AM
UC Irvine
7
vs
0
UC Davis
UC Irvine Closes out Regular Season with Sweep of UC Davis
April 24, 2021 | Men's Tennis
Results
IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's tennis team swept UC Davis, 7-0, in its regular-season finale Saturday at Anteater Tennis Stadium. It was the final home match for seniors Bruce Man-Son-Hing, Mateusz Smolicki, Jeremy Merville, Bjorn Hoffmann and Jonathan Star.
Β
The 'Eaters (10-5, 5-1 Big West) finished their 2021 home slate with a perfect 6-0 record and will ride a season-long five-match win streak into next week's conference tournament. The Aggies dropped to 8-10 overall and 2-4 in Big West play.
Β
UCI got out to a strong start, winning the doubles point for the fourth time in its last five outings. Bjorn Hoffmann and Bruce Man-Son-Hing, who were playing together for the first time since April 3, reunited to defeat Mitchell Davis/Andrei Volgin, 6-3, at No. 2.
Β
Jeremy Merville and Matthew Sah then clinched the point with a 6-4 triumph over Dariush Jalali/Cethan Swanson, 6-4, at the third position. Merville and Sah improved to 5-1 on the year.
Β
The Anteaters kept the momentum in singles play, winning on all six courts. Mark Peneff got things started as he made quick work of Arjith Jayaraman, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 6.Β Mike Mkrtchian followed suit at the fourth spot where he blanked Andras Necz in the opening set before closing out the 6-0, 7-5 victory. Merville then clinched the team win at No. 3, outlasting DavidΒ Goulak, 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Β
With the teams playing out the remainder of the matches, Hoffmann proceeded to claim his ninth victory at the top of the lineup, taking down Ivan Thamma, 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Β
Mateusz Smolicki and Sah both went the distance, coming out on top in three sets at No. 2 and No. 5, respectively. After falling, 6-4, Smolicki regrouped and dominated the next two frames, 6-1, 6-1. Sah also bounced back for a 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 win.
Β
Up next for UC Irvine will be the Big West Championships, April 30-May 2.
Β
NOTES
β’ UC Irvine improved to 8-1 when winning the doubles point.
β’ The Anteaters are second in the Big West standings at 5-1.
β’ It is their best conference finish since claiming a share of the regular-season title in 2015.
β’ Dating back to last year, the 'Eaters have won eight consecutive home matches.
β’ Bruce Man-Son-Hing now owns a 51-27 career dual-match doubles record.
β’ His 51 victories rank 16th among UCI's all-time doubles win leaders.
β’ Mike Mkrtchian, who is 9-3 overall, has the Anteaters' longest active singles win streak at six.
β’ Mkrtchian and Bjorn Hoffmann are tied for the team lead with nine singles victories each.
β’ Mateusz Smolicki has also won five singles matches in a row, moving to 6-1 on the season.
IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's tennis team swept UC Davis, 7-0, in its regular-season finale Saturday at Anteater Tennis Stadium. It was the final home match for seniors Bruce Man-Son-Hing, Mateusz Smolicki, Jeremy Merville, Bjorn Hoffmann and Jonathan Star.
Β
The 'Eaters (10-5, 5-1 Big West) finished their 2021 home slate with a perfect 6-0 record and will ride a season-long five-match win streak into next week's conference tournament. The Aggies dropped to 8-10 overall and 2-4 in Big West play.
Β
UCI got out to a strong start, winning the doubles point for the fourth time in its last five outings. Bjorn Hoffmann and Bruce Man-Son-Hing, who were playing together for the first time since April 3, reunited to defeat Mitchell Davis/Andrei Volgin, 6-3, at No. 2.
Β
Jeremy Merville and Matthew Sah then clinched the point with a 6-4 triumph over Dariush Jalali/Cethan Swanson, 6-4, at the third position. Merville and Sah improved to 5-1 on the year.
Β
The Anteaters kept the momentum in singles play, winning on all six courts. Mark Peneff got things started as he made quick work of Arjith Jayaraman, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 6.Β Mike Mkrtchian followed suit at the fourth spot where he blanked Andras Necz in the opening set before closing out the 6-0, 7-5 victory. Merville then clinched the team win at No. 3, outlasting DavidΒ Goulak, 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Β
With the teams playing out the remainder of the matches, Hoffmann proceeded to claim his ninth victory at the top of the lineup, taking down Ivan Thamma, 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Β
Mateusz Smolicki and Sah both went the distance, coming out on top in three sets at No. 2 and No. 5, respectively. After falling, 6-4, Smolicki regrouped and dominated the next two frames, 6-1, 6-1. Sah also bounced back for a 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 win.
Β
Up next for UC Irvine will be the Big West Championships, April 30-May 2.
Β
NOTES
β’ UC Irvine improved to 8-1 when winning the doubles point.
β’ The Anteaters are second in the Big West standings at 5-1.
β’ It is their best conference finish since claiming a share of the regular-season title in 2015.
β’ Dating back to last year, the 'Eaters have won eight consecutive home matches.
β’ Bruce Man-Son-Hing now owns a 51-27 career dual-match doubles record.
β’ His 51 victories rank 16th among UCI's all-time doubles win leaders.
β’ Mike Mkrtchian, who is 9-3 overall, has the Anteaters' longest active singles win streak at six.
β’ Mkrtchian and Bjorn Hoffmann are tied for the team lead with nine singles victories each.
β’ Mateusz Smolicki has also won five singles matches in a row, moving to 6-1 on the season.
Players Mentioned
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