The UC Santa Barbara men’s tennis team completed its season-opening trip to Boca Raton Florida with three wins. The Gaucho capped the trip with a 4-2 victory over Rice.
They earlier defeated University of South Florida (4-0) and Florida Atlantic (4-2).
It marks the first time the Gauchos have started a season 3-0 in over a decade.
Rice captured the doubles point and expanded its lead to 2-0 as Lucca Liu was defeated by Emir Sendogan.
However, UCSB found its footing as play continued, forcing third sets on three of four courts.
The first point came from Kai Brady who downed his opponent 6-3, 6-4. Then, Phillip Jordan defeated Yasha Zemel 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.
The third point came from Gianluca Brunkow‘s win against Santiago Navarro, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2. Pablo Masjuan, ranked 77th nationally in singles clinched the match, beating his opponent 7-6, 4-6, 6-3.
Against USF, the doubles team of Phillip Jordan and Kai Brady defeated Erik Grevelius and Tomas Pavlekovich-Smith, 6-2. Alexander Watanabe and Gianluca Brunkow edged out Alvin Tudorica and Bruno Oliviera 6-4 to clinch the doubles point for the Gauchos
Moving on to singles, Jordan defeated Tudorica 6-2, 6-1
Then, Lucca Liu topped Pavlekovich-Smith 6-2, 6-1
The Gauchos clinched the win with Pablo Masjuan defeating Davide Tortora 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 on court 2.
Brunkow and Luka Mrsic both held third-set leads when the match ended; Brady was also in a third set, tied, 3-3.