Santa Barbara, Calif. –– In a match that could've gone either way, the USF men's tennis team lost four singles matches in the third set and UC Santa Barbara came away with the 6-1 win at the Robertson Gym Courts on Sunday.

In doubles action, Nathan Eshmade and Miles Seemann took control of the No. 1 match, beating Nils Skajaa and Vasco Valverde, 6-3. The Dons evened things up at No. 3, with Christian Brockstedt and Jason Lee earning their second win of the weekend, topping Morgan Mays and Oliver Sec, 7-5. With the doubles point on the line, Thomas Takemoto and Woravin Kumthonkittikul were caught in a very tight match against Nicolas Moreno de Alboran and Anders Holm, but lost 7-6(2) in the No. 2 slot.

The Gauchos pushed ahead 2-0 in singles with Moreno beating Ryan Marker 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2. The Dons earned its first point of the day at No. 3 when Valverde made quick work of Mays, winning 6-4, 6-2 to cut the Gaucho lead to 2-1. At No. 5 singles, Teague Hamilton took a 6-2 lead over Tynan Maguire, but the Don came back to win the second set, 6-4. In the final set, Hamilton took control and won 6-2 to push Santa Barbara ahead 3-1.

In the No. 1 singles match. Skajaa went down early 6-3 against Eshmade, but evened the match with a 7-5 win in the second set. Eshmade proved to be too much for Skajaa, as the Gaucho won 6-4 in the third set to get the win and seal the overall victory for Santa Barbara. Takemoto had a great shot to get a win at No. 4 after going up 6-4 in the first set. However, Holm took the second set 7-6(5) and the third set 6-2 to earn the victory. In the final match of the day at No. 6, Kumthonkittkul lost to Cody Rakela 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-2. 

"It was a battle today and we had extremely competitive matches in doubles and singles, except for No. 2 singles," said head men's tennis coach Pablo Pires de Almeida.

The Dons will travel to Albuquerque next weekend to participate in the New Mexico Invitational from March 11 to 13. 

Doubles Competition
No. 1 Eshmade/Seemann (UCSB) def. Skajaa/Valverde (USF) 6-3
No. 2 Moreno/Holm (UCSB) def. Takemoto/Kumthhonkittkul (USF) 7-6(2)
No. 3 Brockstedt/Lee (USF) def. Mays/Sec 7-5

Singles Competition
No. 1 Eshmade (UCSB) def. Skajaa (USF) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
No. 2 Moreno (UCSB) def. Marker (USF) 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 Valverde (USF) def. Mays (UCSB) 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 Holm (UCSB) def. Takemoto (USF) 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2
No. 5 Hamilton (UCSB) def. Maguire (USF) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
No. 6 Rakela (UCSB) def. Kumthonkittkul (USF) 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-2