NORMAN, Okla. – San Diego men's tennis captured the doubles point and held a 2-0 lead, but the Toreros dropped their second match in a row to a ranked opponent on Sunday as they lost 4-3 to #25 Oklahoma.
 
In a match that was delayed an hour due to weather, USD (3-3) saw its two-point lead dwindle when it lost three singles matches in straight sets and another when freshman Sacchitt Sharrma was forced to retire after coming back to force a third set.
 
The Sooners (6-3), who extended their winning streak to three, picked up wins in singles at No. 1, 3, 5 and 6.
 
"Congrats to Oklahoma – they proved to be very tough in their facility," said USD head coach Ryan Keckley. "The conditions were incredibly challenging for both parties and the atmosphere was certainly hostile, but our boys were prepared for a fight. Our doubles got us off to a great start, but Oklahoma came out of the gate firing in singles, and we didn't have enough ammo to fight all the way back. We made a solid push, but like the previous match, it was too little too late."
 
The Toreros took the doubles point for the fourth time in six matches this season and used a singles win by Joel Gamerov at No. 4 (6-3, 6-1) to take a 2-0 lead in the match. However, a straight set win by Oklahoma's Alex Martinez over David Norfeldt 6-3, 6-4 at No. 5 and a 6-0, 6-4 victory by Jochen Bertsch over Nico Borter at No. 6 evened the score at 2-2.
 
The pivotal result was Sharrma's retirement in the third set at No. 3. The Torero freshman overcame a first-set loss by forcing a third set with a 6-3 win in the second. However, after losing the first game, Sharrma withdrew and gave the Sooners a 3-2 advantage.
 
Oklahoma clinched the match when Jake Van Emburgh beat #39 Gui Osorio 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1.
 
Despite the match being clinched, #58 August Holmgren finished out his match at No. 2. The redshirt junior won a tiebreaker in the first set and came through at deuce when it was 4-3 in the second to win 7-6 (1), 6-3 over #71 Mason Beiler.
 
The ranked pair of Osorio and Borter, who were No. 31 in the latest ITA rankings, won their doubles match over Van Emburgh and Mandlik 6-2. The USD duo played at No. 1 for the first time this year while also remained undefeated in doubles (3-0).
 
"We have yet to fire on all cylinders as a team and continue to learn costly lessons during the process," added Keckley. "We'll get back to work this week and prepare for two great opportunities at home."
 
The Toreros now enter a two-week break before hosting a pair of matches during the weekend of February 22-23, the first of which will be against Oregon on February 22 (10 a.m.).
 
Results (in order of finish)
Doubles
No. 1: #31 Osorio/Borter (USD) def. Van Emburgh/Mandlik (OU) 6-2
No. 3: Norfeldt/Sharrma (USD) def. Beiler/Schlageter (OU) 6-3
 
No. 2: Gamerov/Holmgren (USD) vs. Stewart/Martinez (OU) 4-4 unfinished
 
Singles
No. 4: Joel Gamerov (USD) def. #92 Justin Schlageter (OU) 6-3, 6-1
No. 5: Alex Martinez (OU) def. David Norfeldt (USD) 6-3, 6-4
No. 3: Mark Mandlik (OU) def. Sacchitt Sharrma (USD) 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 retired
No. 1: Jake Van Emburgh (OU) def. #39 Gui Osorio (USD) 6-3, 6-4
No. 6: Jochen Bertsch (OU) def. Nico Borter (USD) 6-0, 6-4
No. 2: #58 August Holmgren (USD) vs. #71 Mason Beiler (OU) 7-6 (1), 6-3