SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - For the first time this season, UC Santa Barbara claimed the doubles point, then jumped out to a 3-0 lead with the first two completed singles matches, but in the end, the result was a tight 4-3 loss to Washington on Wednesday afternoon at the Recreation Center Courts.
UCSB (1-3) had been 0-3 in doubles before winning the point against the Huskies.
"We changed-up the doubles lineup and it made a difference," said head coach Marty Davis. "This was by far our best doubles performance of the season and it was good to get off the schneid."
The UW duo of Thibault Cancel and Clement Chidekh won a 7-5 decision over the Gauchos No. 1 doubles team of Stefano Tsorotiotis and Alejandro Vedri, but UCSB rebounded at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. At No. 2, it was Victor Krustev and Joseph Rotheram defeating Alexis Alvarez and Jack Davis, 6-3. The Huskies team of Han-Chih Lin and Ewen Lumsden were up 5-2 and at match point in No. 3 doubles before Joseph Guillin and Kai Brady fought back and won in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (2).
Freshman Pablo Masjuan was the first singles match off the court at No. 5 as he handily defeated UW's Jack Pulliam, 6-3, 6-1.
"This was Pablo's most complete match of the season, Davis said. "And that's a very good sign."
Guillin was next off at No. 1 as he swept Chidekh, who entered the match with a 13-1 record, 6-2, 6-2.
"Joe played really well today," Davis said. "This was the Joeseph Guillin we were used to seeing last year."
The Huskies closed to within 3-1 when Lumsden defeated Tsorotiotis at No. 2, 6-4, 6-2. Next off was No. 3 singles as Davis topped Vedri, 6-4, 6-2, and then it was tied at 3-3 when Adam Torocsik edged Rotheram at No. 6, 7-6, 7-6.
"Their guy (Torocsik) hit some great shots down the stretch," Davis said.
The match came down to No. 4 singles and, as it turned out, that was the only match of the six that was not a sweep as Han-Chih Lin bested Krusteve, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
"There was a little drama there," Davis said. "Overall it was a very entertaining and close match."
The Gauchos remain at home and will host UNLV at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Recreation Center Courts. As has been the case all year, there will be no spectators allowed.
Washington vs UC Santa Barbara
Mar 24, 2021 at Santa Barbara, Calif. (Recreation Center Courts)
Washington 4, UC Santa Barbara 3
Singles competition
1. Guillin, Joseph (UCSB) def. Clement Chidekh (WASH) 6-2, 6-2
2. Ewen Lumsden (WASH) def. Tsorotiotis, Stefano (UCSB) 6-4, 6-2
3. Jack Davis (WASH) def. Vedri, Alejandro (UCSB) 6-4, 6-2
4. Han-Chih Lin (WASH) def. Krustev, Victor (UCSB) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
5. Masjuan, Pablo (UCSB) def. Jack Pulliam (WASH) 6-3, 6-1
6. Adam Torocsik (WASH) def. Rotheram, Joseph (UCSB) 7-6, 7-6
Doubles competition
1. Thibault Cancel/Clement Chidekh (WASH) def. Tsorotiotis, Stefano/Vedri, Alejandro (UCSB) 7-5
2. Krustev, Victor/Rotheram, Joseph (UCSB) def. Alexis Alvarez/Jack Davis (WASH) 6-3
3. Guillin, Joseph/Brady, Kai (UCSB) def. Han-Chih Lin/Ewen Lumsden (WASH) 7-6 (2-0)
Match Notes: Washington 8-7 UC Santa Barbara 1-3
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,1,2,3,6,4) T-3:12
