Date: April 21, 2012
Gauchos 6 – Highlanders 1
The UC Riverside men’s tennis team started off the first of two Big West rival match-ups by falling 6-1 against the No. 57 ranked UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on Saturday afternoon at home.
In the doubles match up, the Gauchos dominated the Highlanders, winning all doubles points. The Highlanders’ doubles pair of Austin Andres and Felix Macherez fought tough, but UC Santa Barbara’s doubles pair Mathieu Forget and Benjamin Recknagel held them off, winning 9-7.
In the singles match ups, UC Santa Barbara dominated, winning five of six matchups. Highlander Luis Gastao at No. 4 was the only Highlander to pull off a victory in his match against UC Santa Barbara’s Alexander Gryaznov, which went to a tie breaker. Gastao won the first set 6-4, lost the second set 4-6 and won the last set 10-8. At No. 1, Highlander Macherez faced off against UC Santa Barbara’s ranked #118 Mathieu Forget again after playing him in a doubles match wherein Forget won set one 6-1 and set two 6-2 easily.
The Highlanders will next play ranked #58 Cal Poly on Sunday at noon at home.
Date: April 22, 2012
Mustangs 5 – Highlanders 2
The UC Riverside men’s tennis team faced a tough matchup against the rank No. 58 Cal Poly Mustangs, as they fell 5-2. The Highlanders finished the last home game of the season, playing their second match in a row.
In the doubles matches, the HIghlanders won only at court No. 1, as top Highlander pair Austin Andres and Felix Machere retired Cal Poly’s Brian McPhee and Jordan Bridge, 4-1. Cal Poly, however, pulled out two wins in the doubles match ups, winning at court No.1 and No. 2, where duos Luis Gastao/Kevin Griffin and Simon Peters/Jimmy Roberts fell to their Cal Poly opponents.
In the singles matches, the Highlanders only won two matches. The first was on court No. 2, as Jimmy Roberts defeated Cal Poly’s Brian McPhee, winning the first set 5-0 before McPhee retired. On No. 3, Highlander Austin Andres defeated Jordan Bridge also by default, winning the first set 7-5 before Bridge retired. Cal Poly’s 34th ranked Andre Dome defeated Highlander Felix Macherez at No.1. Cal Poly secured the win, as they won Nos. 4, 5 and 6.
The Highlanders will next move on to the Big West Championship starting Friday, April 27 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
