Feb. 22, 2014
Complete Results
LOS ANGELES - #4 UCLA prevailed over the #19 Pepperdine men's tennis team, 4-0, in the second meeting between the two squads in just over a week. Despite the team loss, seniors Francis Alcantara and Alex Sarkissian picked up their second win of the season over a top-10 ranked doubles opponent.
Pepperdine falls to an even 5-5 on the season, while UCLA improves to 8-1.
The Waves gave the Bruins a run for their money in doubles, with the point ultimately being decided in a tiebreaker in the third match to finish.
After UCLA took the win at No. 2, Alcantara (Cagayan de Oro, Philippines/Fresno State) and Sarkissian (Glendale, Calif./Glendale CC) won at No. 1 to even the score.
The senior duo defeated Marcos Giron and Mackenzie McDonald, ranked #9 in doubles, by an 8-5 tally. The win comes just six days after Alcantara and Sarkissian topped #1 Hunter Reese and Mikelis Libietis during the ITA National Team Indoor Championship.
Alcantara and Sarkissian are now a team-best 8-1 in dual play this season. Their only loss of the year came against Giron and McDonald last week Friday.
The doubles point came down to the No. 3 match, where Alex Giannini (Los Angeles, Calif./Gorman Learning Center) and Rakshay Thakkar (Pune, India/St. Vincent's High School) were deadlocked vs. Andrew Dromsky and Markus Kerner.
After tying up the match at 7-7, the Pepperdine duo was unable to hold on for the win in the tiebreaker, and UCLA took a 1-0 lead into singles.
The Bruins separated themselves in singles play, picking up straight-set wins at No. 6, No. 3 and No. 1 to clinch the dual 4-0.
Matches at No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5 were not finished.
Pepperdine hosts a home doubleheader next week Wednesday, Feb. 26, bringing in Nevada and UC Irvine. The Waves' Spring Break week continues with the Pacific Coast Doubles Championship on Feb. 27-March 2.
Pepperdine vs UCLA
Feb 22, 2014 at Los Angeles, CA
(Los Angeles Tennis Center)
#4 UCLA 4, #19 Pepperdine 0
Singles
1. #5 Marcos Giron (UCLA) def. #36 Alex Sarkissian (PEP) 6-2, 6-3
2. #1 Clay Thompson (UCLA) vs. Francis Alcantara (PEP) 6-4, 2-3, unfinished
3. #51 Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA) def. #116 David Sofaer (PEP) 6-2, 6-1
4. #26 Gage Brymer (UCLA) vs. Stefan Menichella (PEP) 7-6 (9-7), 1-1, unfinished
5. Joseph Di Giulio (UCLA) vs. Pedro Leme (PEP) 6-4, 3-3, unfinished
6. Karue Sell (UCLA) def. Tom Hill (PEP) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
1. Francis Alcantara/Alex Sarkissian (PEP) def. #9 Marcos Giron/Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA) 8-5
2. Joseph Di Giulio/Clay Thompson (UCLA) def. Tom Hill/David Sofaer (PEP) 8-5
3. Gage Brymer/Karue Sell (UCLA) def. Pedro Leme/Rakshay Thakkar (PEP) 8-7 (7-1)
Match Notes:
Pepperdine 5-5; National ranking #19
UCLA 8-1; National ranking #4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (6,3,1)
