2/10/19
ARC-1 SSU-6
Overall: 1-1 Conference: 0-0

As part of their pre-conference season schedule, the Beavers took on NCAA Division II powerhouse, Sonoma State University. The Sonoma State Seawolves came out with high intensity and aggressive doubles play to put the Beavers on the defensive, but the Beavers battled back, making #1 and #2 doubles highly competitive matches. At #1 Stephen Guenard/Sam Hall fought back from 5-0 down to take 3 straight games and have a game point to make it 5-4, but the Sonoma tandem of Max Nudell/Nate Oppenheim held serve to clinch the match at 6-3. At #2 doubles, Younes Kodiji/Tommy Luu were up a break from the beginning of the match, before being broken at 5-4. In the tiebreak the momentum went back and forth, until the Sonoma team finally won the last 3 points to clinch at 7-6(6).

Although the Beavers lost the doubles point, they did not back down at all in the singles. Every match was a grind, with the Beavers getting early leads at #3 (Kodiji), #5 (Luu), and #6 (Archie Ghasemi). At #3, Kodiji closed out his match with a 6-3, 6-2 victory against Max Nudell. At the other spots the Beavers lost the first set, but #4, Micah Erwin, came back from a 6-2 1st set loss to win the 2nd set 6-4 and take the match to a 10-point tiebreak. In the tiebreak Erwin took an early 4-1 lead before his opponent, Igor Pissarenko, took the momentum and the lead at 9-5. Erwin refused to give in, fighting off 3 match points, before Pissarenko closed the match out with a forehand short angle that forced the error from Erwin, and clinched the 6-1 victory for the Seawolves.

It was an exciting and promising start to the season for the Beavers. "After a performance like this we are optimistic and very proud of our boys" explained head coach, Bo Jabery-Madison. "When we can compete with top-end four-year university teams like Sonoma State, we know we are in good shape going in against the junior colleges in the state." The Beavers will compete in the Modesto Junior College Invitational next week, before starting their conference season the following week against Folsom Lake College.