COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 38 University of New Mexico men’s tennis team dropped its NCAA Tournament match to No. 31 Oklahoma State Cowboys by a score of 4-0, bringing the team’s banner season to an end. The Lobos and the Cowboys waited out a rain delay on the campus of Texas A&M before beginning play on Friday.
New Mexico pushed OSU to its limits in doubles action as Hayden Sabatka and Bart Van Leijsen were narrowly defeated by the Cowboy duo of Jakob Sude and Arjun Kadhe 8-7 (7-5).
Samir Iftikhar took the first set from Oklahoma State’s Lucas Gerch 6-2 before dropping the second set 6-3. Iftikhar was part of a trio of Lobos to win the opening set that also included Jorge Escutia and Bart Van Leijsen.
The Cowboys’ Jakob Sude, Arjun Kadhe and Lukas Finzelberg picked up wins on the singles side as Oklahoma State advanced to face the winner of host Texas A&M and Eastern Kentucky.
While the decision did put an end to the team’s season, there is still some tennis left to be played by the cherry and silver. Iftikhar, a senior, qualified for the NCAA Singles Championships May 20-25 at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas.
UNM had a standout season this spring appearing in its first NCAA Tournament since 2009. The trip to Texas was the 12th postseason appearance in program history. First-year head coach Bart Scott was named the 2015 Mountain West Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year.
COMPLETE RESULTS:
No. 31 Oklahoma State 4, No. 38 New Mexico 0
Singles:
1) No. 37 Jakob Sude (OKST) def. Hayden Sabatka (UNM) 6-0, 7-6, (7-2)
2) No. 115 Lucas Gerch (OKST) vs. No. 89 Samir Iftikhar (UNM) 2-6, 6-3, 1-0, unfinished
3) No. 122 Arjun Kadge (OKST) def. Mitchell McDaniels (UNM) 7-5, 6-1
4) Tristan Meraut (OKST) vs. Bart Van Leijsen (UNM) 2-6, 6-3, 1-1, unfinished
5) Lukas Finzelberg (OKST) def. Augustus Ge (UNM) 6-2, 6-2
6) Nicolai Ferrigno (OKST) vs. Jorge Escutia (UNM) 3-6, 6-0, 3-3, unfinished
Doubles:
1) No. 24 Jakob Sude/Arjun Kadhe (OKST) def. No. 75 Hayden Sabatka/Bart Van Leijsen (UNM) 8-7 (7-5)
2) Nicolai Ferrigno/Lucas Gerch (OKST) vs. James Hignett/Augusts Ge (UNM) 4-3, unfinished
3) Lukas Finzelberg/Jurence Mendoza (OKST) def. Mitchell McDaniels/Samir Iftikhar (UNM) 8-5