April 26, 2008

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - Top-seeded UC Santa Barbara continued its quest for a third consecutive men's tennis title as the Gauchos defeated Cal Poly, 4-1, in a Big West Men's Tennis Championship semifinal contest on Saturday at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

This is the sixth time in the last seven years that the Gauchos have reached the championship match. UCSB previously captured tournament championships in 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2007. The Gauchos will play a familiar foe in Pacific at 9:00 a.m. Sunday for the title and the Big West automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The two teams met in the finals in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006, with UCSB winning three times and Pacific once.

It was a hard fought win for the Gauchos, who battled deep into pretty much every set in singles. UCSB took a 1-0 lead by capturing the all-important doubles point at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions.

Philip Therp added to the cushion with his 6-3, 6-4 triumph at No. 1 singles over Andy Gerst. At No. 6, Max Taylor gave the Gauchos a 3-0 edge as he dispatched of Blake Wardman, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Cal Poly got on the board with a win at No. 4, as Alexander Sonesson outlasted Alex Konigsfeldt by a 7-5, 7-5 score. However, UCSB clinched the match as Anders Dalskov returned the favor, winning 7-5, 7-5 as well against Rob Foy.

UC Santa Barbara betters its record to 14-9 while Cal Poly ends its season at 12-10.

MEN'S SEMIFINALS

DOUBLES
1.    Young/Foy (CP) vs. Therp/Hejazi (UCSB)    DNF
2.    Konigsfeldt/Finkelstein (UCSB) def. Gerst/Sonesson (CP)    8-6
3.    Hui/Dalskov (UCSB) def. Jacobs/Wardman (CP)    8-4
Order of finish: 3, 2
SINGLES
1.    Philip Therp (UCSB) def. Andy Gerst (CP)    6-3, 6-4
2.    Darryn Young (CP) vs. Bijan Hejazi (UCSB)    DNF
3.    Drew Jacobs (CP) vs. Jack Hui (UCSB)    DNF
4.    Alexander Sonesson (CP) def. Alex Konigsfeldt (UCSB)    7-5, 7-5
5.    Anders Dalskov (UCSB) def. Rob Foy (CP)    7-5, 7-5
6.    Max Taylor (UCSB) def. Blake Wardman (CP)    6-3, 7-6 (5)
Order of finish: 1, 6, 4, 5