UCSB won its sixth straight match and 11th in a row at home on Friday, blanking UC Davis 7-0 in Big West men’s tennis.

Coach Marty Davis thanked the fans for helping the Gauchos complete a perfect record at home this season. The Gauchos are 14-6 overall.

Friday’s home finale marked the end of two brilliant Gaucho careers as Simon Freund ended his two-year run at UCSB since transferring from LSU and Chase Masciorini ended his four-year stint as a Gaucho.

For senior captain Freund, his time at UCSB has been filled with plenty of big moments including being apart of the only doubles duo in Gaucho history to win the ITA Regionals and also the first doubles pair to reach the NCAA Championships since 1992. With the win today on court three, Freund posted a career 17-2 record at home including a perfect 10-0 mark this season.

“It’s very bittersweet, it is sad to think this is my last home match but we ended it with a bang,” Freund said. “When I look back, winning the regionals with Morgan was probably one of the best moments of life.”

As for Masciorini, the 2018 campaign may not have turned out the way he expected as injuries have not allowed him to take part in one dual match this season, However, the senior will be making his debut on Sunday in a match at UC Riverside. Additionally, if the Gauchos win the Big West Tournament later this year, Masciorini will become only the second Gaucho in program history to make the NCAA Championships in all four of his seasons. 

“It’s pretty bittersweet thinking of all the time spent here. It felt like it would never end,” Masciorini said. “I am really going to miss all the team camaraderie and times like when over 150 people showed up for one of our matches against San Diego State, making the energy unreal. I am also super excited to play against UCR and get a chance to finish off my college career and it just feels right. Tennis has meant so much to me and it’s been super special to be apart of this program.”

Said coach Marty Davis: “You have a captain that’s been terrific in Simon and a guy that has meant a lot to this program the last four years in Masciorini, who has helped with not just his play on the court but also off it,  helping with recruiting and fundraising,” Davis added. 

The seniors were celebrated after the doubles point, which Santa Barbara took with wins on the No. 2 and 3 courts. Freund and freshman Joseph Rotheram won 6-3 while sophomore Joseph Guillin and freshman Victor Krustev won 6-1 to give the Gauchos the early lead.

In singles, UC Davis (6-15 overall, 0-2 Big West) certainly put up a fight on many courts, including the top two, but Freund was able to pick up his sixth-straight win thanks to an easy 6-2, 6-1 victory on court three.

Junior Anders Holm was able to bounce back from a tough loss against LMU and earned a 6-3, 6-1 win to get some momentum back heading into the road conference matches.

Hironori Koyanagi then sealed the deal earning his first ever clinching-match win with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in his first appearance on court five. This marks the junior transfers third-straight victory since returning back to the lineup.

Doubles:
1. Ivan Thamma / Everett Maltby (UCD) vs Nicholas Moreno/Anders Holm (UCSB), 4-3, unfinished
2. Simon Freund/Joseph Rotheram (UCSB) def. David Goulak / Tommy Lam (UCD), 6-3
3. Joseph Guillin/Victor Krustev Chethan Swanson / Arjith Jayaraman (UCD) 

Order of Finish: 3, 2*

Singles:
1. Joseph Guillin (UCSB) def. Ivan Thamma (UCD), 7-6, 6-3
2. Nicholas Moreno (UCSB) def. David Goulak (UCD), 6-1, 4-6, 7-5
3. Simon Freund (UCSB) def. Everett Maltby (UCD), 6-2, 6-1
4. Anders Holm (UCSB) def. Tommy Lam (UCD), 6-3, 6-1
5. Hironori Koyanagi (UCSB) def. Arjith Jayaraman (UCD), 6-4, 6-4
6. Joseph Rotheram (UCSB) def. Chethan Swanson (UCD), 7-6, 6-7, 10-7

Order of Finish: 3, 4, 5*, 1, 2, 6