Lobos Ready for ITA Kickoff Weekend

            
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Last weekend The University of New Mexico Lobos opened with a pair of solid teams in nationally-ranked Tennessee and Middle Tennessee State. 
 
This weekend isn’t any easier.
 
The Lobos will take on Louisville on Saturday at 10 a.m. Mountain Time (11 Central) at the Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center on the campus of Baylor in the opening round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend.  The Lobos are the No. 3 seed in the pod, taking on the No. 2 seeded Cardinals.  Sunday UNM will either play host and top-seed Baylor, who is ranked No. 5 in the latest ITA rankings, or Gonzaga, the No. 4 seed in the pod.
 
Last week was tough for UNM as the Lobos threw five newcomers into the lineup in singles and doubles, and the Lobos lost 7-0 to Tennessee and 4-0 to Middle Tennessee State.  The positives were UNM was up in the other matches on Monday at MTSU, and UNM was in it the whole way.  This weekend poses a different challenge in a neutral match vs. an ACC opponent.
 
“Playing in the ITA against these great programs will allow us to see where we are right now, but these are the matches that will help us in conference play later in the season,” said head coach Ben Dunbar.  “As a team I know the boys are excited and up for the challenge the weekend presents.”
 
The Cardinals enter with a perfect 4-0 record on the season, including a 4-3 win over the No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers.  In that match Tin Chen, playing at No. 1 and ranked No. 42 nationally, battled with Virginia’s Gianni Ross, who is ranked No. 68 nationally.  Chen won an opening set tiebreak and then dropped the second set before winning 6-4 in the third for the clinching win.  Louisville won four of six singles matches.
 
The Cardinals won their other three matches by shutouts, 7-0 over Dayton and Bellarmine and 4-0 over Austin Peay, all of those coming at home. 
 
For UNM, Dominic West and Stepan Holis each played a match at No. 1, and newcomer Sergio Molina played at No. 3 in both.  UNM used three of four returnees last weekend with Facundo Bermejo playing at both No. 5 and No. 6.  This weekend should see the debut of UNM’s other returnee in Nicholas Prieto.
 
Looming on Sunday is a battle with either No. 5 Baylor or Gonzaga.  Baylor is 3-0 including a 7-0 over fellow Mountain West rival Boise State, and Gonzaga is 2-1 after playing three matches in Des Moines, Iowa.  The Bulldogs defeated future Lobo opponent Drake 5-2 and also beat Northern Illinois 6-1 while losing 4-3 to Western Michigan.