March 13, 2010
Fresno, Calif. – The University of New Mexico men’s tennis team outlasted Cal Poly Saturday afternoon, 4-3, at Fresno State’s Spalding G. Wathen Tennis Center. Ben Dunbar’s capped off the Lobos’ victory with a 2-6, 7-6, 6-0 singles win over the Mustangs’ Matt Fawcett. The marathon of a dual match between New Mexico and Cal Poly lasted four hours, 36 minutes.
The final match of day, Dunbar’s singles’ win hinged on his winning the second-set tiebreaker, 18-16. Having dropped the first set 2-6, Dunbar’s winning the tiebreaker extended the match to a third set. His 6-4 win in the third set propelled New Mexico to its fourth dual-match win of the season.
Dunbar 11-9 on the season in singles play, 3-2 playing in the No. 1 spot, and has won five of his last seven matches.
“This was a good, close tennis match,” Lobos’ coach Alan Dils said. We just fought today. We’re learning what it takes to finish off a match.”
After conceding the doubles’ point 2-1, New Mexico needed four wins in singles play to knock off the Mustangs. Dunbar, Carl Ho, Jadon Phillips and Conor Berg came though with those four wins.
Ho improved to 13-10 in singles play with his 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 win over Jordan Bridge. Phillips is now 16-8 after making quick work of the Mustangs’ Drew Jacobs 6-2, 6-1, while Berg improved to 11-9 after beating Robert Foy 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
“This was a good match to win,” Dils said. We’ve been playing some very, very difficult teams this season – some of the best in the country. Like I’ve said all season, our goal is to improve with each match. We did that today against Cal Poly.”
Dunbar and Berg notched the lone doubles win for the Lobos, beating Brian McFee and Blake Wardman 8-6.
NCAA MEN’S TENNIS
MARCH 13, 2010 – Fresno, Calif.
New Mexico 4, Cal Poly 3
Doubles
(Cal Poly wins the doubles point)
1. Fawcett/Foy (CP) def. Anderson/Phillips (NM), 9-8
2. Sonesson/Bridge (CP) def. Ho/Woods (NM), 8-3
3. Dunbar/Berg (NM) def. McFee/Wardman (CP), 8-6
Singles
1. Ben Dunbar (NM) def. Matt Fawcett (CP) 2-6, 7-6, 6-4
2. Carl Ho (NM) def. Jordan Bridge (CP), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
3. Jadon Phillips (NM) def. Drew Jacobs (CP), 6-2, 6-1
4. Alexander Sonesson (CP) def. Phillip Anderson (NM), 4-6, 7-6 (18-16), 6-0
5. Brian McFee (CP) def. Joe Wood (NM), 6-3, 6-0
6. Conor Berg (NM) def. Robert Foy (CP), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2