Senior leadership helped the UNM men’s tennis team win its last regular season match over intrastate rival New Mexico State University 5-2 in a hotly contested battle Sunday at the Lobo Tennis Club.
Takeshi Itoh, Kyle Russell and Andrew Irving won their last home matches and went out in an impressive fashion. UNM finished its home season with a 7-0 record.
The Lobos improved its record to 16-5. It was the Lobos’ third straight win and their 10th win in their last 11 matches.
“The leadership by our seniors has helped us have a tremendous year,” UNM head coach Alan Dils said. “The younger players have followed, and we are playing real well right now.”
Most of the matches were very close, with four of the six singles matches going three sets.
UNM did not get the victory until Itoh came through in singles play in a very exciting match. He survived two match points to win a marathon battle over the Aggies’ Cesar Obieto 6-0, 1-6, 7-6 (8-6) in the number one position.
Down 6-4 in the tiebreaker and facing Obieto’s serve, Itoh battled to stay alive. He started his rally with a powerful shot down the baseline. Then he scrambled several times to return shots by Obieto and eventually forced him into hitting two shots out of bounds.
Serving for the match, Itoh hit a tricky serve that got his opponent off balance and then slammed the return into Obieto, who could not handle it.
“I was just thinking to stay relaxed, and I got lucky because the other guy tightened up,” Itoh said. “I was real nervous for much of the match, but I am glad I won my last home match.”
Itoh ends the season with a 14-6 record in singles play at the number one position.
“Before I came to UNM, I used to think playing tennis was a job,” he said. “I have learned to enjoy playing tennis, and that it is fun.”
UNM and NMSU brought a lot of intensity into the matchup. Both teams yelled with satisfaction or disgust after every point. It was not rare for a player to complain about a call to the umpire or taunt the opposition after a point.
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Irving had the only easy match as he overpowered the Aggies’ Ludovic Barthe 6-1, 6-2 in the number five position. He kept Barthe on his heels with a tremendous serve and by attacking the net.
“He did not have very many weapons to use against me,” Irving said. “I just used my serve to keep him off-balance and changed things around, attacking the net and hitting from the baseline.”
At the number six position, junior John Kowalski came back from losing the first set 6-2 to defeat the Aggies’ Dan Even 6-1, 6-1. Junior Diego Garza, playing at the number four position, had his match with Ben Newcombe called off in the third set after trailing 7-6, 2-6, 1-4, because the Lobos already had the four points for the victory.
The only two losses by the Lobos were in the number two and three positions. Junior Michael Polasek lost to the Aggies’ Marc Legris 6-2, 7-5. UNM’s Bart Scott, a sophomore playing at the number three position, was defeated by Alvaro Dominquez 6-4, 6-4.
The Lobos swept doubles play, but it was a struggle to get the doubles point. Russell teamed up with Garza at the number three position to earn an 8-5 win over Barthe and Aurelien Monmarson. The Lobo duo used numerous NMSU unforced errors and steady play to get the win.
“We played under control and made some good plays,” Russell said. “We played really well, and the other team was not able to get anything going against us.”
Russell, who primarily plays doubles, finished the year 13-5 in doubles action.
“I try to play solid every time out, and I think I have gotten better every year,” Russell said. “I have not had the senior year I wanted, but I know I go out and play hard every time out.”
UNM’s Irving and sophomore Brent Salazar dispatched of Obieta and Dominquez 9-8 at the number two position, as both teams won every point on serve. At the number one position, Itoh and Scott teamed up to defeat Legris and Newcombe 8-6.
“We have played and beaten some tough teams and today was no exception,” Dils said. “We played as a team and battled through some tough matches. Our players never give up, and that is a testament to their character and attitude.”
The Lobos will next play in the Mountain West Conference Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 26-28, to defend its title.
UNM trounced Louisiana-Lafayette 6-1 at home Friday.
