The Western New Mexico University men's tennis team started their trip to California on a high note and ended on a high note as they opened by defeating Grossmont CC, 9-0 and ended with a 5-4 win over Sonoma State. In-between they fell to Fresno Pacific, 9-0, and UC-San Diego, 7-2.


Against Grossmont, the Mustangs dominated doubles play dropping just two total games. At No. 1, Johan Weich (Landskrona, Sweden/Filbornaskolan High School)/Juan Pablo Fuentes (Guadalajara, Mexico/) won 8-1, which was the same score Rodrigo Almeida (Arapongas, Brazil/Nene Lourenco High School)/Jean Benoit Belin (Nimes, France/Emmanuel d'Alzon High School) won by at No. 2. Roy Ulibarri (Dexter, NM/Dexter High School)/Omar Lopez (Naucalpan, Mexico/) then completely dominated their match with an 8-0 victory.


In singles, Weich took his top flight match in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0. Fuentes cruised in his first set at No. 2, 6-1, and had to battle before taking it in straight sets, 6-3. Matthieu Covizzi (Noailly, France/) dropped just one game as he cruised at No. 3, 6-1, 6-0. Almeida, Belin and Ulibarri all took the four through six matches in 6-0, 6-0 fashion to complete the sweep.


Things got tougher the following day with Fresno Pacific taking a 9-0 decision. WNMU came close in a pair of doubles matches, as after Weich/Fuentes dropped the top flight, 8-1, Belin/Almeida came close at No. 2 before falling, 8-6. At No. 3, Lopez/Ulibarri fought hard, but ultimately lost 8-4.


In singles, Weich took one game in his top flight match before falling in straights, 6-1, 6-0. Same for Fuentes, as he fell at No. 2, 6-0, 6-1. Covizzi grabbed a game as well at No. 3 before falling, 6-1, 6-0. Almeida came close at No. 4, as he stayed in both sets, winning four games in each but ended up dropping the match in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Belin took two games at No. 5 before falling, 6-1, 6-1. Ulibarri grabbed four games at No. 6 before being defeated, 6-2, 6-2.


The Mustangs continued their trip up the coast as they battled UC-San Diego. UCSD took all of the doubles matches, winning at No. 1 and No. 2, 8-4 and also won at No. 3, 8-3. In singles, Weich took four games at No.1 before falling, 6-1, 6-3. Fuentes battled in his first set at No. 2, falling 6-3, before dropping the second set as well, 6-0. Almeida recorded the first win at No. 3 taking his match in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. Covizzi fell at No. 4, 6-2, 6-1. Belin won a couple of tight sets at No. 5, winning the first in a tiebreaker and then finishing the match with a 7-5 win in the second set. Ulibarri then won one game at No. 6 but fell in straights, 6-0, 6-1.


WNMU then finished the California trip on a high note defeating Sonoma State for the second time this season, both times 5-4. In a matchup of ranked teams, No. 35 WNMU took four of the singles matches over No. 40 Sonoma State. In doubles, Weich/Fuentes held on for a big 8-6 win at the top flight. The other two matches also went 8-6, with Sonoma pulling both out to take the 2-1 lead.


In singles, the Mustangs made their move, as after Weich fell at No. 1, 6-3, 6-3, Fuentes, Almeida and Covizzi all collected wins. Fuentes won at No. 2, 6-4, 6-1, Almeida at No. 3, 6-0, 7-5 and Covizzi at No. 4, 6-4, 6-1. Belin came close in his match at No. 5, as he took the first set, 6-4, and after dropping the next set, 6-2, he couldn't quite come back in the third set, falling 6-3. Ulibarri then clinched the match again for WNMU like before the first time the teams matched up, as after taking a tight first set tiebreaker, he won the second set, 6-3.


WNMU is now 6-5 on the season and will have a little break in the schedule before traveling to Las Vegas, Nev., on Mar. 23-25 where they will play four teams.