LAS CRUCES, N.M. – University of New Mexico redshirt freshman Shunji Hirooka came up short against New Mexico State’s Liam Goldberg on Sunday morning in the White bracket singles championship match at the NMSU Invite.
Hirooka had an impressive run in singles play over the weekend, but Goldberg put up a strong fight as he battled for his second consecutive NMSU Invite Singles title. The junior from Melbourne, Australia defeated Hirooka 6-4, 6-2 to claim the championship, but Hirooka has nothing to hand his head about. The young Lobo recorded his first two singles victories of his collegiate career and finished the tournament with a second place singles title.
“It was a good weekend of tennis,” head coach Bart Scott said. “We isolated a few things that we really need to work on and we’re ready excited to get to work this upcoming week. It was a great experience for all Lobos that traveled.”
The Lobos did however prevail in consolation doubles play on the final day of the event. Bart Van Leijsen and Bryan Cunningham defeated Abilene Christian’s Marco Bensley and Paul Domanski, 8-6, to earn a third place doubles title. Hirooka and Sean Baklini came in seventh place after defeating ACU’s Henry Adams and Jason Proctor, 8-6.
The Lobos finished the weekend with an impressive 10-2 singles record and a 6-2 doubles record. Additionally, Van Leijsen and Baklini earned their first tournament title as they were named co-champions of the Crimson singles bracket.
UNM’s home tournament, the Balloon Fiesta Invite, is the next event on the Lobos’ schedule. It will take place at the McKinnon Family Tennis Complex Oct. 4-6.
DAY THREE RESULTS
White Singles Bracket (Championship Match)
Liam Goldberg (NMSU) def. Shunji Hirooka (UNM), 6-4, 6-2
Crimson Doubles Bracket (Consolation Play)
For Third Place:
Van Leijsen/Cunningham (UNM) def. Bensley/Domanski (ACU), 8-6
For Seventh Place:
Baklini/Hirooka (UNM) def. Fuentes/Brechtel (WNMU), 8-6