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Men's Tennis Sees Progress, Fall to MTSU 4-0

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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The result might not have been there as The University of New Mexico lost 4-0 to Middle Tennessee State, the back end of a tough opening road trip to the Volunteer State, but progress was there as UNM was in the match throughout.
 
The loss dropped UNM to 0-2 after also losing to No. 18 Tennessee in the season opener while Middle Tennessee State improved to 2-0 after the opening weekend.
 
UNM lost the double point in a tight outing, falling and No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, both by 6-4 scores, with No. 3 doubles (Stepan Holis and Alex Maggs) down 6-5 but on serve in the 12th game.
 
That sent it to singles, and head coach Ben Dunbar made two changed to the lineup.  At the top, he flip-flopped Holis to No. 1 and moved Dominic West to No. 2, where he played last year.  He also moved Facundo Bermejo up to No. 5 and moved rookie Rafael Abdulsalam down to No. 6.
 
Newcomer Sergio Molina had the unenviable task at No. 3 singles of playing the No. 76-ranked Chris Edge, and Molina held his own but lost 6-2, 6-2.  Abdulsalam lost by a 6-4, 6-2 score at No. 6 singles to give MTSU three points, and the clinched it with a 6-2, 6-2 win by Stijn Slump over West. 
 
That ended the match, but UNM was doing fine in the other three matches going on.  Holis, in his first career match at No. 1 was up 7-4, 4-5 and on serve in the second set.  Raul Dobai was moments from getting UNM officially on the board as he was up 6-1, 6-5 and about to put his match away.  Bermejo at No. 5 lost a tough opening set 7-5 but was on serve down 3-2 in the second.
 
Easily, the match could have been a 4-3 affair, showing quick progress for a team that featured five newcomers of the eight that played.
 
UNM doesn’t have a lot of time to dwell on things however, as the team heads to Waco, Texas for the ITA Kickoff against Louisville.  A second-round match against either No. 5 Baylor or Gonzaga awaits on Sunday.