Against a slew of ranked teams this past week, the Western New Mexico University men’s tennis team came close, but couldn’t come away with a victory. They opened against Point Loma, then went against Azusa Pacific, UC San Diego and then Holy Names falling in all four by the same score of 8-1.
In the first match of the week against the Lions from #45 Point Loma, WNMU posted their point in doubles play behind an 8-6 win from Omar Lopez (Naucalpan, Mexico)/Pablo Santibanez (Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico/CETYS Universidad) at No. 3. Vladimir Gnilozubov (Kazakhstan, Astana/Kazakhstan)/Alvaro Nunez (Madrid, Spain) came close at No. 2 before a 5-8 setback. At the top flight, Juan Pablo Fuentes (Guadalajara, Mexico)/Jean-Laurent Pageault (Perrigny, France/Academi des Hauts de Nimes) grabbed three games before a 3-8 loss.
In singles, Nunez and Santibanez each went three sets. Nunez at No. 3 recorded the first set win, 6-4 and then after dropping the second, 3-6, went deep into the third set tiebreaker before a 7-10 loss. Santibanez dropped the first set, 2-6 and then came back with a 6-3 win in the second. With the match not yet decided, they played a regular third set and he fell, 2-6. Pageault won six games at No. 2 before a 3-6, 3-6 loss. Fuentes at No. 1, Gnilozubov at No. 4 and Lopez at No. 6 all fell by the same scores of 1-6, 2-6.
The next day against #12 Azusa Pacific, the Cougars were able to take all three doubles matches. Nunez/Gnilozubov came close at No. 2 going to a tiebreaker before an 8-9 loss. Fuentes/Pageault at the top flight grabbed four games before a 4-8 loss. At No. 3, Lopez/Sanitbanez were defeated, 3-8.
In singles, Tristan Da Lio (Casablanca/Academie des Hauts de Nimes) came through with an impressive win at No. 3. After losing the first set, 3-6, he took the second, 6-3. Then facing several match points in the third set, he came back to take an epic 17-15 win in the third set. Gnilozubov was close to grabbing the first set at No. 5 before a 5-7 setback. He then dropped the second, 1-6. Pageault recorded seven games at No. 2 before a 3-6, 4-6 loss. Nunez won five games at No. 4 before a 1-6, 4-6 loss. Santibanez went back-and-forth in the first set at No. 6 before a 4-6, 0-6 loss. Fuentes at the top flight fell short, 0-6, 2-6.
WNMU then went against #18 UC San Diego as the Tritons won all three doubles matches. Da Lio/Lopez came the closest at No. 3 winning five games before a 5-8 loss. Nunez/Gnilozubov won four games at No. 2 before a 4-8 loss. At the top flight, Fuentes/Pageault were defeated, 2-8.
In singles, Gnilozubov came away with the win at No. 5 as his opponent retired in the second set. After dropping the first set in a tiebreaker, he was behind 2-5 in the second when the Triton player had to retire. Pageault and Santibanez each win three sets in their matches. Pageault won the first set at No. 2, 6-4, and then after a 3-6 loss in the second, he then lost in the third, 3-6. Santibanez lost the first set at No. 6, 5-7, and then came back for a 7-5 second set win before dropping the third, 5-10. Da Lio fought back at No. 3 as he dropped the first set, 1-6 and then went to a tiebreaker in the second before falling, 6-7. Fuentes at No. 1 and Nunez at No. 4 fell by the same scores of 3-6, 3-6.
WNMU then finished the week against Holy Names. The Hawks took two of the three doubles matches with WNMU claiming the win at No. 3 behind Pageault/Santibanez who cruised to an 8-0 victory. Lopez/Da Lio nearly had another point at No. 2, but fell just short, 8-9. At the top flight, Nunez/Gnilozubov fell, 3-8.
In singles, three pushed their matches to third sets. Nunez at No. 3 dropped the first set, 4-6, but then came back with a 6-4 win in the second. In the third set, he fell, 3-6. At No. 4, Gnilozubov nearly followed the same script as he lost the first 4-6, but then came away with a 6-3 in the second. But like Nunez, he then fell in the third, 3-6. Santibanez took the first set in his match at No. 5, 7-5, before dropping the second, 3-6 and the third set, 4-10. Pageault at No. 1 and Da Lio at No. 2 each went into second set tiebreakers. Pageault at the top flight fell, 2-6, 6-7, while Da Lio fell, 4-6, 6-7. Rounding out the singles players for WNMU, Lopez fell at No. 3, 3-6, 5-7.
Following the matches this past week, WNMU is now 0-5 on the season. They will return to action this week in Albuquerque against Midwestern State and St. Mary’s.
