ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Due to weather and other conditions, the Western New Mexico University tennis teams were only able to play one match, men’s team only, this weekend.
Having lost playing time during Friday’s weather conditions, the men’s team then faced St. Mary’s at 8 p.m. and lasted well into the morning on Saturday. The teams were able to go inside and use the University of New Mexico indoor facility.
WNMU claimed a 5-4 win as the Mustangs had to rally in singles play after losing all three doubles. Tristan Da Lio (Casablanca/Academie des Hauts de Nimes)/Omar Lopez (Naucalpan, Mexico) came the closest at No. 3 falling, 6-8. Alvaro Nunez (Madrid, Spain)/Vladimir Gnilozubov (Kazakhstan, Astana/Kazakhstan) fell at No. 2, 3-8, while Juan Pablo Fuentes (Guadalajara, Mexico)/Jean-Laurent Pageault (Perrigny, France/Academi des Hauts de Nimes) dropped their match at the top flight, 2-8.
In singles play, Gnilozubov cruised to a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 5. Da Lio came close to posting the same scores in his win at No. 3 collecting a 6-4, 6-3 victory. Nunez at No. 4 came away with a hard-fought 7-5 opening set win before winning the second, 6-2. Pageault at No. 2 won in a first set tiebreaker and then cruised to the 7-6, 6-3 straight set win. Following Fuentes’ 4-6, 7-6, 3-6 loss at the top flight, it came down to Pablo Santibanez (Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico/CETYS Universidad)’s match at No. 6. He won a tough first set, 7-5 and then clinched the last point for the Mustangs with a dominating 6-0 second set victory.
The win for the Mustangs was their first of the season improving to 1-5 on the campaign. They were also scheduled to play Midwestern State but that match has been cancelled.
The Lady Mustangs were set to play both Tarleton State and Midwestern State as both of those matches were cancelled. They will look to play Tarleton State when they head to Midland, Texas on March 7-9.
