Maggs Leads UNM to Undefeated MW Finish
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In a fitting end to a championship season, senior Alex Maggs, who was honored after doubles as the teams’ lone senior, won twice in near perfect fashion, a fitting tally for the conclusion of a perfect conference season. Maggs’ two wins helped propel New Mexico to a 4-1 win over UNLV and a 6-0 perfect conference season.
The win was also UNM’s 15th of the season, tying for the most wins in a season since 2015, when the Lobos went 20-11 on the way to the NCAA Tournament.
Maggs and Arda Azkara teamed up for a 6-0 win at No. 1 doubles, and although UNM didn’t win the doubles point, it set up everything for singles.
Maggs, originally not in the singles lineup, was slotted in when UNM removed its No. 4 player Nikolay Sysoev. That put Maggs into the lineup, and as he has done all year, the move paid off for second-year head coach Chris Russell.
First Azkara picked up a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 1, meaning his perfect streak of never losing at No. 1 at home will carry all the way into the 2024 season. Aram Noroozian won his 15th match in his last 17 decisions, winning 6-1, 6-2 in resounding fashion, with his final slam bounding into the softball bleachers.
That gave UNM a 2-1 lead, but it was always going to be 3-1 because Maggs was never not in control. He bolted to a 4-0 opening set lead before cruising to a 6-2 decision. After dropping the opening game in the second set to Thomas Navarro, Maggs was unstoppable. He won five straight games, and then trailing 40-15 on Navarro’s serve, he blistered three straight points, watching the final sail long. With that, he turned, made like an airplane with his arms and enjoyed what was potentially his final home match. He does have a COVID year, but that will depend on his major, as he graduates with a 4.06 GPA.
Up 3-1, it was a matter of whether or not Georgio Samaha or Ryoma Matsushita could finish off their opponents in straight sets, and it turned out to be Samaha, who won a hard-fought battle against Dusan Rsovac, winning 7-6 (9-7), 6-3. He crossed the line just before Matsushita, who was up 6-4, 4-5.
Rafael Abdulsalam had evened his match 2-6, 6-3 when it ended. UNM will face the winner of the 4/5 matchup on Thursday, April 27 in Las Vegas at 6 p.m. Mountain Time in the semifinals. The Lobos earned the league’s