April 15, 2005
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – New Mexico extended its win streak against Air Force to eight consecutive games with its 5-2 win at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. this afternoon. The Lobos, ranked 60th in the nation, have not lost to the Falcons since 1989.
UNM jumped out to a 1-0 lead, sweeping the doubles matches for the fourth time this season. Fifth-ranked seniors David Kowalski and Ryan Stotland handed Chris Dong and Trevor Johnson an 8-3 loss at No. 1. Freshmen Max Jones and Kamil Pajkowski won their second consecutive match at No. 2 behind an 8-3 win over Shannon Buck and Justin Lau. Senior Derek Boland and junior Eric Conklin battled hard for a 9-7 win at No. 3 over Tyler McClung and Robby Alexander.
Stotland and Kowalski pushed the lead to 3-0 with wins at No. 2 and 3, respectively. Stotland netted a 7-6, 7-3 win over McClung while Kowalski discarded Johnson 6-4, 6-4.
Air Force pulled within one as Buck and Dong picked up wins at No. 1 and 4, respectively. Buck dealt Jones just his second dual-match singles loss of the season while winning his 15th straight with a 7-5, 6-1 win. Dong held on for a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over Pajkowski.
Conklin clinched the Lobos’ win with a 6-3, 7-5 defeat of Lau. Boland won his fifth consecutive singles match, netting a 7-5, 6-7(9), 10-8 win over Alexander.
New Mexico improved to 8-6 overall and 2-1 in the Mountain West Conference, while Air Force fell to 16-7 and 0-3 in league play. The win keeps the Lobos in the hunt for a share of the MWC regular season crown. They need to beat No. 37 San Diego State and No. 51 UNLV in order to finish 4-1 in the MWC.
The Lobos square off against the Aztecs at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Air Force.
No. 60 New Mexico 5, Air Force 2
Doubles
1. Stotland/Kowalski (NM) def. Dong/Johnson, 8-3
2. Jones/Paikowski (NM) def. Buck/Lau, 8-3
3. Conklin/Boland (NM) def. McClung/Alexander, 9-7
Singles
1. Shannon Buck (AF) def. Max Jones, 7-5, 6-1
2. Ryan Stotland (NM) def. Tyler McClung, 7-6, 6-3
3. David Kowalski (NM) def. Trevor Johnson, 6-4, 6-4
4. Chris Dong (AF) def. Kamil Pajkowski, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
5. Eric Conklin (NM) def. Justin Lau, 6-3, 7-5
6. Derek Boland (NM) def. Robby Alexander, 7-5, 6-7(9), 10-8
Order of Finish: 3,2,1,4,5,6