Results

LA JOLLA, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's tennis team kicked off Big West play with a 4-0 victory over UC San Diego Wednesday afternoon at the Northview Tennis Courts.
 
The Anteaters (11-4, 1-0 Big West), who went unbeaten in the month of March, won their 10th-straight match. They also improved to 8-0 all-time against UCSD.
 
The 'Eaters started the day by winning a hard-fought doubles point as all three courts went down to the wire. At No. 3, Matthew Sah and Lawee Sherif took down Pelayo Rodriguez/Phillip Lan, 7-5, snapping the Triton duo's eight-match win streak.
 
Riccardo Roberto and Ali Amiri then outlasted Daniel Traxler/William Lan, 7-6 (7-1), at the second position to secure the early 1-0 lead. Emmanuel Coste and Noah Zamora were also locked in a 6-6 tie with Eric Silberman/Zach Ermert when the match was abandoned.
 
UCI carried that momentum into singles play with three straight-set wins to blank UC San Diego (4-14, 1-2 Big West). Zamora set the tone with a 6-0, 7-5 triumph over Ermert at No. 3. It was Zamora's eighth consecutive singles win.
 
Mike Mkrtchian followed suit as he dispatched Charles Qian, 6-3, 6-2, on court six, before Coste delivered the final blow with a 6-3, 6-1 victory against Traxler at the top of the lineup.
 
Roberto (6-3, 5-2) and Sherif (6-2, 5-2) were also on the brink of winning their respective matches at Nos. 2 and 4, while Amiri was on the comeback trail against Jett Cole, 4-6, 5-3, at the fifth spot.
 
UC Irvine continues Big West play on Sunday, April 3, when it welcomes No. 61 Cal Poly to Anteater Tennis Stadium for a 1 p.m. showdown.
 
NOTES
• UCI secured its first 10-match win streak since 2015.
• The Anteaters went 7-0 in March, marking their first undefeated month with at least five matches played since 2000.
• Riccardo Roberto made his return from injury, playing in his first match since March 6.
• Noah Zamora, who has won eight-straight singles matches, improved to 12-3 overall and 8-1 in dual-match play.
• Emmanuel Coste has also come out on top in his last six singles decisions as he is now 8-2 at No. 1.
• The 'Eaters won the doubles point for the seventh time in their last eight matches.
• Matthew Sah/Lawee Sherif have led the way with a 6-1 doubles record.