Results

IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine men's tennis team dropped a tightly-contested match to San Francisco, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at Anteater Tennis Stadium.
 
The 'Eaters (1-3) won the doubles point and pulled ahead 3-1 in singles, but were unable to close it out as the Dons took the final three matches to secure their third-straight victory.
 
"This loss will inspire this team to work harder, with more intensity, discipline and purpose," head coach Mike Saunders stated after the match.

UCI got out to a strong start in doubles with Ali Amiri and Emmanuel Coste dispatching Nikola Kuraica/Johan Garpered, 6-2, for their second consecutive win at No. 3.
 
USF answered at the top of the lineup to bring the doubles decision down to court two where Matthew Sah and Thomas Smart were locked in a back-and-forth battle with Nil Giraldez/Mitch Johnson. The two teams went toe-to-toe before the Anteater tandem finished strong for the 7-6 (9-7) triumph.
 
San Francisco (3-2) evened the team score at 1-1 with a win at No. 2 singles before Mike Mkrtchian and Emmanuel Coste both prevailed in straight sets. Mkrtchian toppled David Woodland, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 5, and Coste followed with an impressive 6-4, 6-2 victory on court one to give the 'Eaters a 3-1 lead.
 
The remaining matches all went to a third set. Smart was unable to complete a comeback at the fourth position, dropping a 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 decision to Johnson. Sherif then fell to Phuc Huynh, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, and USF's Kuraica clinched just moments later as he came from behind for a 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 win over Sah at the sixth position.
 
UC Irvine will be back in action next Sunday, Feb. 13, at 23rd-ranked UCLA.