NORMAN, Oklahoma --- New Mexico took advantage of a short-handed UTA Arlington team, taking five of six singles for a 6-1 victory to end UNM's five-match losing skid and push the team's record to 3-5. UT Arlington dropped to 0-5.
With both teams reeling from injuries, UNM had just six players available, one more than the Mavericks, who had just five. That meant UNM just needed one of the two doubles matches, and it got it when Philip Bosin and Dario Ciobotaru won 7-5 at No. 2 doubles. The teams played out No. 1 doubles in a tiebreak at the clinch, and UTA took the match, with Axel Delva and Yazid Lahjormi winning 7-6 (7-5) over Jan Skerbatis and Tyler Waddock.
UNM immediately went up 2-0 with a free win at No. 6 singles, and UNM cruised from there.
Ciobotaru won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles, Bosin won a thriller at No. 2, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, and Alberto Perez won at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 6-2.
Tyler Waddock came back at No. 4 singles to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, and with the match in hand, Skerbatis retired at No. 5 singles despite leading, handing the Mavericks their lone point.
The Lobos now have a semi-short bus trip next weekend to take on Texas Tech and Louisiana on Saturday and Sunday.