Lobos Pick Up Seven Wins to Open Lobo Invitational

Lobo Invitational Results Friday 9/29

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s tennis squad wrapped up their first day of the Lobo Invitational with an impressive seven wins out of the eight matches that were played.
 
In singles play, all Lobos matched up against Northern Arizona in their respective flights. After losing the first set against Tom Fisher 4-6, UNM’s second flight, Jorge Escutia came back and won the next two, 6-1 and 7-5. Similarly, third flight Sean Balkini fell the first set 7-5, but bested NAU’s Chris Steele in the second, 6-3, and edged out the competition in the third, 7-6 (5).
 
In the fourth flight, UNM’s Michael Tran won in two, with the final score 6-1, 6-3 against NAU’s Adi Zilberstein. The only singles loss of the day came from first flight Lobo Phillip Stockmar. After losing the first set 3-6, Stockmar won the second 6-2. Unfortunately, Stockmar was not able to clench the victory against NAU’s Felix Schumann and was narrowly defeated in the third set, 6-7 (3).
 
In doubles play, all flights split between two matches, one against Air Force Academy and one against Denver University.  In flight one, Balkini and Stockmar narrowly overcame AFA’s Sanderson and Hendrix, 7-6, and DU’s Ruder-Hook and Del-Valle, 7-5. Escutia and Tran won both matches against AFA’s Bautista and Ghering, 6-4, and DU’s Lovera and Huynh, 6-3, to leave the Lobos undefeated in doubles after the first day of play.
 
The Lobos will continue play on Saturday, September 30 and will finish the invitational on Sunday, October 1 at the McKinnon and Linda Estes Tennis Centers.

Tim Buttner, Ricky Hernandez Tong and Dominic West will begin competing at the ITA All American Championships tomorrow in Tulsa, Okla.