ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- Battered and banged up, the New Mexico Lobo men's tennis team showed its toughness in ending a five-match losing skid with a hard-fought 6-1 win over UT Arlington on Super Bowl Sunday. Now, the Lobos will look to continue their winning ways, starting Saturday with a match against Louisiana before playing Texas Tech on Sunday, both in Lubbock.
The Lobos were led by Dario Ciobotaru and Philip Bosin, who both won twice on Sunday to help UNM take the doubles point before winning four of the five contested singles matches. UNM did it despite being banged up, with Carl Labitzke not on the trip due to injury, Bosin recovering from getting stitches, and lingering injuries to Jakub Prachar and Jan Skerbatis.
Despite that, the Lobos fortitude shone through, and UNM picked up its third win of the season.
Now, UNM takes on Louisiana on Saturday before playing host Texas Tech. Louisiana is 2-2 on the year, coming off a 7-0 win over Southern. Before that, the Ragin' Cajuns lost 6-1 to No. 14 UCF and to SMU. Louisiana opened the season with a 4-3 win over Florida Gulf Coast.
Texas Tech is on a three-match winning streak, beating Wichita State, New Mexico State, and UTRGV, all by 4-0 scores. Texas Tech also has a 5-2 win over Southern Miss, and losses to Nebraska and Denver, both by 4-3 scores.
The matches are the seventh and eighth straight for UNM away from home in a run of nine straight away from Albuquerque and McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium.