Bermejo Clinches Thrilling Win Over BYU 4-3
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Facundo Bermejo hadn’t broken Matheus Ferreira Leite in nine straight games, but facing a match point, Bermejo found a way. In doing so, he carried his Lobo teammates on his back, saving that match point and breaking Ferreira Leite twice in the final three games to give the Lobos a thrilling 4-3 win over former conference rival BYU, notching the first win of the season for the Lobos.
UNM, which hosts Northern Colorado on Sunday at 1 p.m., moved to 1-4 on the year while BYU dropped to 3-5.
FACU FOR THE WIN!!!! he bounces back from match point to win it for the Lobos 4-3 over BYU! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/vBwWXY5Qx2
— UNM Men’s Tennis (@UNMLoboMTennis) February 8, 2020
“That was a great dual match,” said head coach Ben Dunbar. “Thank you to the fans who came to watch, because they really carried us over the line.”
“Huge respect to BYU and Aidan, as they always bring it and the made it a fun match. Hopefully we will see everyone tomorrow as we take on a good Northern Colorado team.”
Bermejo’s match was the only one to go to three sets, and it proved to be as wild as the entire match was. BYU opened by snagging the doubles point, winning at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, finishing before UNM’s top team of Jake Trondson and Raul Dobai could finish off a win at No. 1, as they were up 5-2.
That meant UNM would need to win four in doubles, and life was good early as the Lobos took the opening set in four of the six matches. Bermejo, playing at No. 5, took an easy 6-2 win in his opening set while Rafael Abdulsalam, searching for his first collegiate win, was able to win his opening set 6-3.
Stepan Holis at No. 2 was up 5-1 and then scuffled a bit, missing out on a set-point at deuce, but he ultimately prevailed 6-4, taking out his frustrations at losing three straight games with a dominant love-game to win his first set.
Two other opening sets went to tiebreakers, and in perhaps a swing of monumental proportions, Sergio Molina at No. 3 singles found himself down 4-2 and facing double-game point for his opponent Ben Gajardo to go up 5-2. Molina fought deep and found not just something but a whole lot of something. He scorched a forehand winner to get to the all-deciding deuce point, and then watched Gajardo miss, putting Molina back in the match.
That one sequence set Molina on fire. He would go on to win 10 of the final 12 games, including a 7-5 tiebreaker that saw an amusing series where up 6-4 he thought that Gajardo’s desperation return was going long. It would have, but a combination of backspin and a quick gust of wind blew the ball onto the line. Molina, who was already celebrating the point, had a sheepish grin. All that did was prolong the inevitable as Gajardo double faulted to give Molina the set.
He then blitzed Gajardo 6-0 in the second set to set off a quick three-point run as he, Abdulsalam and Holids all won within 78 seconds of each other as UNM went up 3-1. Abdulsalam won 6-3, 6-2 for his first collegiate victory and Holis won 6-4, 6-2 and UNM went up 3-1.
BYU would move the match to 3-2 as Sean Hill, ranked No. 116 in the latest ITA rankings, was able to handle Dominic West 6-3, 6-0, winning the final nine games, to make it 3-2.
That left it to Raul Dobai, who forced a tiebreaker in his opening set, twice saving set point at 5-4 and 6-5, but he lost 7-2 in the tiebreaker to Sam Tullis. He ultimately fell 6-4 in the second set, evening the match and sending everything to the No. 5 singles match.
“Facundo took over down the stretch and was amazing, but that was a full team performance,” said Dunbar. “Everyone contributed.”
In case you didn’t know, college tennis is emotional and FUN!!!! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/8P6fggjK9q
— UNM Men’s Tennis (@UNMLoboMTennis) February 8, 2020
In that third set, Bermejo dropped his serve in the opening game, and Ferreira Leite kept winning his, going up 2-0, 3-1, 4-2, and 5-3. Bermejo was able to hold serve at 5-3, winning at 40-30 and that brought up the key 10th game. Ferreira Leite took the opening point before Bermejo bounced back with a backhand winner that forced Ferreira Leite into the net, and then Ferreira Leite went long. A pair of long points moved the game to 30-40, and Ferreira Leite hit an ace to Bermejo’s forehand and that forced a deuce point, which doubled as match point for BYU.
Ferreira’s first serve just missed, and Bermejo was able to take advantage. He kept his opponent on the run, first to his backhand, then forehand and finally to his backhand, which was returned long. That set off a loud ovation from his teammates and fans alike. Bermejo then held serve with ease, setting up the final game.
Facing the pressure and having just been broken, Bermejo jumped out with two quick points before Ferreira Leite answered with a strong forehand winner. Bermejo than forced an error to get triple match point, and it was more than he would need. After an ace which hit the net cord and took a crazy spin that Bermejo did well to even clip, he again took advantage of a second serve.
Ferreira Leite’s second serve was to Bermejo’s forehand, and he immediately put his opponent on the run, so much so that his return went long. With that point, Bermejo collapsed to his knees and was mobbed by his teammates, clinching the win.
NOTES: The win avenged a 4-0 loss at BYU last season … Holis picked up his first win of the spring season.