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Davis

Davis, California

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Gaels defeat short-handed Aggies

Despite good performances, the Aggies have had a lot of tough luck lately. That continued this weekend.

UC Davis fell to Saint Mary’s on Saturday in a tough 6-1 loss.

“It was a good performance for the team,” coach Daryl Lee said. The guys did a good job and they had a good attitude.”

The Aggies were at a disadvantage from the start having to play without their two of their top players – junior Nick Lopez and freshman Toki Sherbakov.

Due to this misfortune, the Aggies’ ladder saw some new faces. In the No. 5 singles match, sophomore Josh Albert got the call.

Right behind Albert in the No. 6 match was freshman Jack Horowitz. Horowitz also teamed up with sophomore Chris Aria in the No. 3 doubles match.

“They were right in there in the first set,” Lee said. “They needed to stay with their opponents.”

Albert did not have much success, falling in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-3.

Horowitz faced a similar fate, also losing in consecutive sets to Michael Carreno, 6-4 and 6-0.

While Albert and Horowitz didn’t come out victorious, there was one Aggie who showed his true game on Saturday.

Senior Nic Amaroli was the only one to attain a point for UC Davis.

Amaroli, who usually only participates in doubles play, was called on to play in the No. 4 singles match.

He only needed two sets to defeat Gavin Leon, 6-1 and 6-4.

“I could sense the energy from 75 yards away,” Lee said.

Even though singles play didn’t go the Aggies’ way, they showed that they have improved significantly in doubles since the beginning of the year.

Freshman Connor Coates and senior Hunter Lee, partnered up for the first time this season to win the No. 2 match, 8-5.

Coates usually pairs with Sherbakov while Hunter Lee plays with Lopez.

“Connor has been such a pleasant surprise with his tennis abilities,” coach Lee said. “Hunter’s doubles play has also been very solid.”

Shortly after the victory, the Aggies’ duo of Chris Aria and Jack Horowitz fell in the No. 3 match, 8-4.

Aria also had a two-set loss to Lucas Tirelli by a score of 6-4 and 6-0 in the No. 1 singles match, the first No. 1 contest of his Aria’s career.

“[Chris] held his own out there,” coach Lee said. “He represented the team well.”

With UC Davis and Saint Mary’s splitting the No. 2 and 3 doubles matches, the No. 1 match was all that was left. UC Davis’ usual No. 3 doubles team of Nic Amaroli and Tyler Lee got the call to play in the No. 1 match.

They gave it a good effort but the Gaels ended up winning in a close 9-8 finish.

With the Aggies falling again, their record is now 4-8 heading into a three-week break in the schedule. Their next contest is on Mar. 28, a home matchup with Eastern Washington.

ZANDER WOLD can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

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