March 15, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Trailing 2-1 to Radford, the 61st-ranked Lobo men’s tennis team rallied, winning four straight singles matches for the 5-2 victory this afternoon at the UNM Tennis Complex.
Juniors Max Jones and Kamil Pajkowski kept the Lobos alive in doubles, handing Martin Sayer and Zach Watson their first loss at No. 1 doubles. Radford came away with doubles point in the end, netting an 8-6 win over sophomores Miles Bugby and Graeme Kassautzki at No. 3.
Sophomore Johnny Parkes quickly evened the score at 1-1, cruising to a 6-0, 6-2 win over James Lloyd at No. 2. Sayer, ranked No. 75 nationally in singles, took it right back with a 7-6, 6-2 win over Jones at No. 1.
Junior Chris Parkes tied the match at 2-2, grabbing his sixth straight singles win, downing Luka Rister 6-4, 6-3 at No. 5. Freshman Joe Nicolazzi pushed the Lobos in front with a 6-3, 7-5 victory at No. 6, winning his sixth straight singles match as well.
Needing just one more point for the win, both Kassautzki and Bugby jumped out in front in their third sets at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. Kassautzki was up 5-1 before finishing off Patrick Methan, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, clinching the match for New Mexico. Bugby, who was up 5-0 in the third, held on for his sixth straight singles win, putting away Mehdi Benhammou, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The Lobos, now 9-3 overall, return to the court tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., hunting for an upset over 18th-ranked Minnesota.