Tournament preps players for season

by Brandon Call

Daily Lobo

The UNM men's tennis team is gearing up to host the Balloon Fiesta Invitational this weekend at the Lobo Tennis Club.

However, only three UNM players will compete.

Miles Bugby, Joe Wood and Derek Lynch will represent the cherry and silver in the

tournament.

Last season's All-Mountain West Conference honorees Max Jones, Johnny Parkes and Kamil Pajkowski will sit out because they returned late Wednesday night from the All-American Pre-Qualifying Tournament in

Tulsa, Okla.

"We are limited on the number of dates that you can play throughout a year," head coach Alan Dils said. "We have a packed spring schedule, so we are only playing one guy from our top six from last year."

Dils said the tournament will give players experience.

"My expectations are that we go out there and get a lot of matches - that's what the tournament is set up for," he said.

Besides gaining experience, Dils said he wants his players to become more consistent.

"Miles has a chance to do very well in the tournament," he said. "I'm really interested to see what Joe and Derek do and really kind of look at them and see what they come up with. They certainly can beat some people, but they need to play at that level day in and day out."

Other teams in the tournament include MWC foe Air Force, in-state rival NMSU, Denver and NAU.

Bugby said the competition will be good for him.

"Coming back from the All-American tournament, which was the cräme de la cräme, I got to see a lot of good tennis" he said. "These teams, they've got some good players, but I'd like to try and push myself to the later rounds. I think I've got a good chance."

Wood - a freshman from Sheffield, England - will make his home debut as a Lobo at the

invite.

Wood said he is excited for

the event.

"I hope to do well," he said. "Training has been going well the past couple of weeks. It will be good for me to go out there and play some matches at home."

UNM finished No. 53 in the nation last season. The Lobos return their six top players from last season.

Dils said his team will have the experience it lacked last year.

"We are counting on

experience to help us this year," he said. "We are much heavier on seniors and juniors, whereas we haven't had that the past couple of years. We should be able to win more of the close matches that we lost last year."

Bugby said the team is ready for the upcoming season.

"We are shaping up to be pretty good," he said. "We didn't lose anyone from last year. We've matured a lot. Our team morale is brilliant, and we are looking forward to this year."

Men's tennis hosts the Balloon Fiesta Invitational

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UNM Tennis Complex