LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- It's a Mountain West title match rematch from 2025, but in the quarterfinals for 2026. New Mexico, which defeated Boise State in a 4-0 sweep in Las Vegas in the Mountain West title match last year, takes on those very same Broncos on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Mountain, 5 p.m. Pacific.
The winner of the match will take on the winner of the 2/7 matchup between San Diego State and Air Force. Boise State enters the match ranked No. 62 in the latest ITA rankings, 20-8 overall, and 4-3 in the league. The Lobos are 8-15 overall and 2-5 in the league.
The two teams squared off in a match that had a little bit of everything, from a doubles point controversy to the Lobos knocking off a former teammate in a 4-3 Bronco win.
The Broncos won the match when Stewart Aronson defeated Philip Bosin 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in the final match, but UNM showed plenty in the 4-3 loss.
Tyler Waddock beat Taiyo Kurata 7-6 (13-11), 6-3, and Connor Dils won 6-2, 6-4 over Idriss Haddouch. The biggest win for UNM was Dario Ciobotaru winning at No. 1 singles 6-4, 6-4 over his former teammate Avery Tallakson, who declined to shake hands after the match, drawing a chorus of boos from the large Lobo contingent in attendance.
It was Tallakson who won the clinching match against Boise State in the 4-0 Mountain West Championship match a year ago, adding some intrigue to the proceedings. The Broncos, in a match a few weeks ago, didn't start Carson Baker in singles, and he brings a 20-11 record as seven Broncos have between 22 and 20 wins on the year.
The Lobos have been paced by Bosin, who leads the team with 15 wins, and Ciobotaru, who is second with 14. Where UNM has excelled is in doubles, with No. 1 team Alberto Perez and Jakub Prachar going 10-5 in the spring. UNM also got Jan Skerbatis back in its last match, but had Tyler Waddock out due to an injury. If the Lobos can have both back, it would make the closest UNM has had to a regular singles lineup without an injury since the second week of the season in early February.