Gil Chung 2018-19
2
UC Riverside UCR (3-3)
5
Winner Southern Utah University SUU (3-1)
UC Riverside UCR
(3-3)
2
Final
5
Southern Utah University SUU
(3-1)
Winner
2
UC Riverside UCRMT
4
Winner Hawaii UH
UC Riverside UCRMT
2
Final
4
Hawaii UH
Winner

Match Recap: Men's Tennis |

Men's Tennis Drops First Two Matches of the Weekend

HURRICANE, Utah.— After a huge 4-3 win over Air Force in last week's home opener, the UC Riverside Men's Tennis Team looked to take its momentum on the road as the Highlanders headed out for a five match road trip. Despite tremendous efforts in the first two matches of the weekend, UCR dropped a pair of contests to Southern Utah and Hawaii.

SOUTHERN UTAH
Before heading to Las Vegas for a full slate for tennis, the Highlanders stopped in Hurricane, Utah to take on Southern Utah Thursday afternoon. The match was moved to a neutral location due to inclement weather, but the late venue change did not phase the Thunderbirds who would go on to take the match 5-2.

"Very proud of the guys for almost turning this match around like we did against Air Force," Head Coach Mattias Johansson said. "These kind of matches are what we need in order to improve. Of course, you always want to be on the winning side, but the effort was first class."

SUU jumped out to a quick lead taking the doubles point and the first two singles matches to go up 3-0, but the Highlanders never quit as the remaining four players all battled to third sets. 

Unfortunately, the two teams would split the matches giving the host Thunderbirds a 5-2 win.

Two Highlanders would end up on top as after dropping the first set, freshman Andreas Whelan-Merediz battled to a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win on six. Junior Gilbert Chung showed resiliency on court four taking his match 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

HAWAII
The Highlanders' second match of the weekend came against a familiar opponent in Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors would get the best of this early season meeting between these two Big West Conference foes taking the match 4-2, but the two will see each other again down the road.

"Once again, we were unable to come out on top in doubles after holding multiple match points," Johansson said. "These are opportunities that we can't let go of. Hopefully we can learn from this and finish off opponents when we have the lead."

The doubles round set the tone for the day with both teams competing hard for the all important doubles point. On court one, the team of sophomore Filip Engstrom and junior Nabil Abdallah led for much of the match and had a few opportunities to close it out but would eventually fall 6-7.

The Rainbow Warriors would take court three to claim the point, but the new duo fo senior Kyle McCann and Andreas Whelen-Merediz would grab a victory for UCR on court two 7-6.

In singles play, Hawaii would earn a point on court one, but the Highlanders quickly responded with junior Gilbert Chung collecting his second straight win on court four in straight sets of 6-1, 6-3. Abdallah earned the other win for the Highlanders playing at court 2 and defeating No. 124 Blaz Seric 6-1, 0-6, 6-4.

"Gilbert has been playing great tennis for us," Johansson said. "And Nabil beat the No.124 player in the nation so there were some positive takeaways."

With two down, the Highlanders will now compete in a Saturday doubleheader with host UNLV and New Mexico State.