Lobos Finish ASU Tourney with 4-0 Shutout of NMSU

TEMPE, Ariz.  — A little rain was about all that could potentially stop the New Mexico men’s tennis team, because for the second time this season, New Mexico State couldn’t.  The Lobos finished the ASU 8-Team Tournament with a 4-0 whitewashing of New Mexico State, moving UNM to 6-2 on the year and finishing the ASU 8-Team Tournament at 2-1.

The Lobos, who are ranked No. 55 in the latest ITA Poll, will be at home to host Portland on Friday, March 3 at 3 p.m. and Rice on Sunday, March 5 at 2 p.m.

Due to the rain that hit the area, the match was delayed enough that the two teams echewed doubles unless it would be the deciding point in the match.  Suffice to say, it wasn’t needed.  In singles, it was the usual suspects leading UNM to the win, as the bottom of the order went 4-0 for the victory.  Georgio Samaha, who clinched yesterday’s 4-2 win over Utah State, won his sixth consecutive match, this a fourht win at No. 5 as UNM went up 1-0.  He beat Patrick Lohmann 6-0, 6-2 for the victory.

Alex Maggs, in the lineup as Ryoma Matsushita was rested, once again picked up a victory at No. 6 singles, winning 6-2, 6-1 over Yehor Opanasenko.  That made it 2-0.  Nikolay Sysoev bounced back from a loss at No. 2 yesterday to take a commanding 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3 over Italy Feigin and a 3-0 lead.  The clincher went to Aram Noroozian, who also picked up a sixth straight win.  He beat Luca Fe D’ostiani at No. 4, coming from behind in a 1-6, 6-3, 6-0.

NOTES: Samaha now has 15 wins of the season … New Mexico overall is 31-14 in the spring dual season in singles (.689) and UNM’s Nos. 4, 5, and 6 singles are a combined 22-3 … the Lobos now lead the all-time series against New Mexico State 95-11.