SILVER CITY, N.M. – Just like the match earlier this season, it all came down to the final singles point to decide the winner. No. 26 Western New Mexico University men’s tennis team fought back to tie at four-all when No. 27 St. Edward’s was able to claim the deciding point at No. 2 singles for the 5-4 NCAA South Central Regional victory Tuesday at the WNMU Tennis Courts.
Earlier this season in March, the Mustangs were able to secure the final point and edge the Hilltoppers, 5-4. It was nearly the same story Tuesday, with the match hinging on one final singles match to decide who would move to the Sweet 16 in Arizona.
As it would turn out, the winner of doubles ended up holding the edge they needed to claim the victory. St. Edward’s claimed the first two points winning at No. 1 against Tristan Da Lio (Casablanca/Academie des Hauts de Nimes)/Vladimir Gnilozubov (Kazakhstan, Astana/Kazakhstan), 8-5 and then at No. 2 as Alvaro Nunez (Madrid, Spain)/Juan Pablo Fuentes (Guadalajara, Mexico) fell, 8-4. The Mustangs came through strong at No. 3 with Pablo Santibanez (Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico/CETYS Universidad)/Jean-Laurent Pageault (Perrigny, France/Academi des Hauts de Nimes) dominating with an 8-3 win, breaking open a close early match to win going away.
Gnilozubov gave the Mustangs the start they wanted at singles No. 5. He was the first one to claim a set, taking the first, 6-1, and then concluded his straight set win with a 6-0 second set to even the match at two. The Hilltoppers responded as Da Lio was defeated at No. 3, 6-2, 6-1, to push St. Edward’s back in front, 3-2. Fuentes at the top flight showed resiliency as he was in an early 0-3 hole and rallied against the No. 28 player in the nation to take a 7-6, 6-3 win to again knot the match at three wins apiece. Nunez was in a tough first set in his match at No. 4, as he went into a tiebreaker and just fell short and eventually lost his match, 7-6, 6-1, to give the Hilltoppers a 4-3 lead.
It then came down to the No. 6 and No. 2 singles matches to decide who would move on. Santibanez at No. 6 came out strong with an opening set 6-3 win and after dropping the second set, 4-6, he started early in the third and never looked back taking the 6-3 win and tying the match at four. Pageault at No. 2 had just worked his way back into the match while Santibanez was finishing up. Pageault lost the first set, 4-6, but then came back to take the second set, 7-5. In the third set, he wasn’t able to fight all the way back dropping the decisive set, 2-6, and St. Edward’s claimed the 5-4 win.
The Mustangs finish the season 13-10 overall and won their sixth straight RMAC regular season and conference titles this year. It was the final match for three Mustang seniors in Juan Pablo Fuentes (Guadalajara, Mexico), Alvaro Nunez (Madrid, Spain) and Omar Lopez (Naucalpan, Mexico). St. Edward’s moves to 11-8 and advances to the Sweet 16 in Surprise, Ariz.
