SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Western New Mexico University tennis teams wrapped up their trip to California facing nationally-ranked Fresno Pacific and then the men battled No. 48 Sonoma State.


Against Fresno Pacific, the men (5-7) grabbed three points against the tenth-ranked team in the nation before falling, 6-3. In doubles, senior Francisco Damasio (Jundiai, Brazil/Centro Educational Sigma ) and junior Alvaro Nunez (Madrid, Spain/) came away with a hard-fought 9-8 win at No. 2. Junior Omar Lopez (Naucalpan, Mexico/) and freshman Sascha Brechtel (Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany/Kurpfalz Gymnasium Mannheim ) won four games before a 4-8 setback. At the top flight, senior Rodrigo Almeida (Arapongas, Brazil/Nene Lourenco High School) and junior Juan Pablo Fuentes (Guadalajara, Mexico/) dropped a 3-8 decision.


In singles, Almeida and Damasio each posted wins. Almeida playing at the top flight, cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 victory. Damasio at No. 6 collected a similar victory of 6-4, 6-3. Brechtel at No. 5 and Fuentes at No. 2 each came close to claiming a set as Brechtel fell, 3-6, 6-7 and Fuentes by scores of 3-6, 5-7. Nunez fell at No. 3, 3-6, 2-6 and Jean-Laurent Pageault (Perrigny, France/Academi des Hauts de Nimes) at No. 4, 4-6, 1-6.


They concluded the week against No. 48 Sonoma State and came close to coming away with their second win of the season over the Seawolves before they held on for the 5-4 win. In doubles, the Mustangs jumped out to a 2-1 advantage following victories by Lopez and Fuentes at No. 2 (8-4) and Brechtel and Pageault at No. 3 (9-7). Damasio and Nunez came close at the top flight, as they fell by a score of 6-8.


In singles, Pageault and Damasio grabbed straight set victories. Pageault collected winning sets of 6-4, 6-4 at No. 4 and Damasio came away with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 5. Brechtel at No. 3 gave his opponent all he could handle in three sets before falling, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6. Lopez won six games at No. 6, 4-6, 2-6 and Fuentes at the top flight collected five games, 2-6, 3-6. Nunez at No. 2 fell by scores of 3-6, 0-6.


On the women's side, the Lady Mustangs (0-13) concluded the week against No. 14 Fresno Pacific and the Sunbirds won, 8-1. In doubles, juniors Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227) and Marie Monier (Saint Etienne, France/St Paul Forez Montbrison) came the closest at No. 1, 2-8. Sophomore Claudia Osuna (Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico/Tec Milenio ) and freshman Marissa Aguirre (Douglas, AZ/Douglas) dropped a 1-8 decision, while sophomore Diamond Morrill (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and senior Dena Irvin (Farmington, NM/Farmington High School) lost at No. 2, 0-8.


In singles, Osuna tallied the one victory winning a lengthy three set battle at No. 3, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8. Tiurina at No. 1 and Monier at No. 2 each won three games before falling by scores of 2-6, 1-6. Morrill at No. 4, Irvin at No. 5 and Aguirre at No. 6 were defeated by the same scores of 0-6, 0-6.


Both teams will now have the coming week off before returning to action on Friday, March 28 at home against McMurry beginning at 10 a.m.