ISLANDERS END TRIP WEST WITH LOSS TO #42 LOBOS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's tennis team finished its first weekend of the spring season with a 4-2 loss to the University of New Mexico on Sunday afternoon.
"I give a lot credit to New Mexico," said Islander head coach Steve Moore. "It was a hard fought match. They played just a little smarter today. We are looking forward to getting back at practice and getting better at the little things.
"We played three NCAA teams and I told the guys coming in each match would be a battle and come down to 4-3. In each match it came down to the little things and those things made a difference."
The match was the third straight versus a ranked opponent for the Islanders who are now 1-2. A&M-Corpus Christi downed No. 44 Indiana 4-3 on Saturday for its first win, after opening with a 4-3 loss to No. 75 Radford. All three opponents participated in the NCAA Championship a season ago.
Laurent Montoisy and Jose Zunino picked up both points for the Islanders. Montoisy downed Graeme Kassautzki at No. 2 singles 6-2, 6-4. At No. 4 singles, Zunino lost just four games in a two-set win over Ben Dunbar, 6-3, 6-1. The No. 3 singles match was not completed.
In doubles, Montoisy and Zunino combined to win 8-2 over Elliot Chang and Dunbar at No. 3 singles. In the other doubles matches, Mikhail Pavlov and Dmitry Novikov fell 8-5 to the Lobos duo of Johnny Parkes and Miles Bugby at No. 1. James Langford and David Pace were edged at No. 2 doubles by an 8-6 count.
The Islanders next play on Feb. 8 at Baylor at 2 p.m. The Bears are currently No. 7 in the ITA rankings.
#42 New Mexico 4, #75 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2
Singles competition
1. Johnny Parkes (NM) def. Mikhail Pavlov (TAMUCC) 6-4, 6-2
2. Laurent Montoisy (TAMUCC) def. Graeme Kassautzki (NM) 6-2, 6-4
3. Miles Bugby (NM) vs. Dmitry Novikov (TAMUCC) 7-5, unfinished
4. Jose Zunino (TAMUCC) def. Ben Dunbar (NM) 6-3, 6-1
5. Carl Ho (NM) def. Jaume Farras (TAMUCC) 6-3, 6-4
6. Phil Anderson (NM) def. David Pace (TAMUCC) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Johnny Parkes/Miles Bugby (NM) def. Mikhail Pavlov/Dmitry Novikov (TAMUCC) 8-5
2. Graeme Kassautzki/Joe Wood (NM) def. James Langford/David Pace (TAMUCC) 8-6
3. Jose Zunino/Laurent Montoisy (TAMUCC) def. Ben Dunbar/Elliot Chang (NM) 8-2
