West Keeps Winning in 5-2 Win Over Cal Poly
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In collegiate tennis, momentum is a fickle thing. But UNM took it on a key point in doubles, and never let it go, paving the way for a 5-2 win over Cal Poly on Sunday in front of a huge crowd at McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium.
The Lobos with the win have now won four of five and improved to 5-6 overall, while Cal Poly fell to 7-6.
In the end, UNM rolled to the win, clinching at 4-1 when Dominic West, the reigning Mountain West Player of the Week, clinched the win at No. 2 singles with a 6-2 third set win. However, everything was up in the air early in doubles, and that’s when UNM took momentum, and never gave it back.
Doubles was sitting at a win apiece, with West and Facundo Bermejo taking a 6-1 win, but Nicolas Prieto and Tim Buttner losing 6-2. That left the doubles point to the No. 1 doubles court, and UNM’s team of Ricky Hernandez Tong and Stepan Holis were all square at 5-5, and 40-40, trying to break serve. With both opponents in the rally at the net, Holis was left with a puzzle … hit a safe return and keep a long rally going, or go for a cross court winner, with only about six inches of space to work with.
There’s the doubles point clincher from Hernandez Tong and Holis!!! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/rfNSvkA5bY
— UNM Men’s Tennis (@UNMLoboMTennis) March 24, 2019
Holis went for the win. He shot just missed his opponent’s racquet, and then clipped the line, giving UNM a huge break of serve. That’s all Hernandez Tong and Holis needed, closing out the final game at 40-30 for a 7-5 win. That made it 1-0, and from there, UNM went to work.
Holis, fresh off that win, hammered his opponent quickly with a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles, and very quickly it was 2-0 UNM. Cal Poly eventually made it 2-1 with a win at No. 4 singles, but then a change in the lineup by head coach Ben Dunbar worked to perfection. Nicolas Prieto, who had sat out the last few matches, was inserted into the lineup in the No. 6 spot, his first match there this season. Prieto was able to get a key late break of serve and held his own for a 6-3, 7-5 win, making it 3-1.
From there it was pretty much academic, despite the three remaining matches going to third sets. It was West who picked up the clincher, winning 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, winning just seconds before Hernandez Tong clinched his match on No. 1 with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win.
All that remained was No. 5 singles, and Bermejo fell 6-3 in the third for the second and final Mustang point of the match.
NOTES: UNM ends its six-match home stand on Friday when it hosts Fresno State at 4 p.m. … West and Holis have each won four straight singles matches … Holis, West and Hernandez Tong each picked up their 15th singles wins over the year.