March 26, 2010
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico men’s tennis team returns home to the Linda Estes Tennis Center to host Northern Arizona this Sunday, March 28, at 10:30 a.m., MT. The Lobos, who had played their last five matches on the road, haven’t played at home since beating Abilene Christian, 7-0, on Feb. 14.
The match with the Lumberjacks was originally scheduled for Tuesday, March 30, but was moved up when New Mexico’s schedule unexpectedly opened up. The Lobos’ matches against Texas Tech and UT-San Antonio were cancelled by due to high winds in the Austin area. The two matches were originally scheduled for this Friday and Saturday, March 26 and 27.
The match with Northern Arizona is the last for the Lobos before they open Mountain West Conference play. New Mexico hosts MWC foe Utah on Thursday, April 1, then continues it’s conference schedule at home against Brigham Young two days later on Saturday, April 3.
The Lobos enter the match with a 4-7 record, but are 3-1 in home dual matches this season.
SCOUTING NORTHERN ARIZONA
The Lobos have never lost to the Lumberjacks in the 21-match history between the two programs. The Lobos beat Northern Arizona last season 7-0. The Lumberjacks finished the year with a 7-18 record.
Head Coach Kim Bruno’s squad is 8-5 on the season and 3-1 within the Big Sky Conference, having lost its last outing, 4-3, at home to Montana on March 12.
NAU is 2-2 on the road this season, having lost their last road match, 7-0, to New Mexico State on Feb. 27.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The Lobos are looking to rebound after splitting a pair of matches in California. New Mexico beat Cal Poly, 4-3, on March 13 before falling to Fresno State, 6-1, the following day. Conor Berg scored the Lobos’ lone match win against the Bulldogs, which are currently ranked No. 27 nationally.
Berg, a true freshman who usually plays in the No. 6 spot, is 12-9 in singles play this season. Fellow freshman Jadon Phillips, who alternates between the No. 3 and 4 spot in singles play, is 16-9 on the season.
Sophomore Ben Dunbar, who has held down the No. 1 singles spot for over a month now, enters the match with the Lumberjacks with an 11-10 singles record.
The Lobos are also looking to snap a five-match streak in which they have lost the doubles point. New Mexico last won the doubles point in its last home match, against Abilene Christian back on Feb. 14.
SERVING UP A CURE
The University of New Mexico men’s and women’s tennis teams are partnering up with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (ALSA) to help in the fight against ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The tennis teams will coordinate a season-long campaign, Serving Up A Cure, to help raise money for ALS research.
Serving Up A Cure will allow people to get involved in a couple of different ways. Donors can pledge money per match or per set won for either the men’s or women’s tennis teams. Forms to make donations and instructions for submitting them can be found at GOLOBOS.com on either the men’s or women’s tennis page. ALS affects adults of all ages, sexes and races. Every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and every 90 minutes someone dies from this disease. There is no known cause or cure and the cost for an ALS patient is $200,000 per year.
Please help the men’s and women’s tennis teams fight against ALS. For more information contact Roy Cañada at rcanada@unm.edu or at 925-5780.