No. 24 Men’s Tennis Downs No. 22 Point Loma, Come Close Against No. 13 Azusa Pacific, UC Riverside

SAN DIEGO/AZUSA, Calif. – The No. 24 Western New Mexico University men's tennis team had no problems in cruising past No. 22 Point Loma 6-3. The next day, they came very close to upsetting No. 13 Azusa Pacific before the Cougars held on for the 5-3 win. To close the trip, WNMU went against UC Riverside and fell by a score of 5-2.

The Mustangs started doubles play rolling up a 3-0 lead. Sophomores Blayze O'Keefe (Las Vegas, NV/Odyssey Charter)/Zachary Grabovic (South Bank, Australia/St. Kevin's College) had the easiest time at No. 3 claiming the 8-4 victory. Redshirt junior Tristan Da Lio (Casablanca/Academie des Hauts de Nimes)/junior Vladimir Gnilozubov (Kazakhstan, Astana/Kazakhstan) added an 8-6 win at the top flight. It was a tough battle for senior Jean-Laurent Pageault (Perrigny, France/Academi des Hauts de Nimes)/sophomore Liam Fraboulet (Lycée Kerraoul, Paimpol, France/Lycée Kerraoul) went into a tiebreaker at No. 2 before tallying the solid 9-8 victory.

In singles, Gnilozubov, Da Lio and redshirt junior Sascha Brechtel (Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany/Kurpfalz Gymnasium Mannheim ) all won in straight sets to seal the win. Da Lio dropped the lead amount of games at No. 4 as after a tough first set in which he pulled out the 6-4 win, he rolled to a 6-0 win in the second. Gnilozubov dominated in his match at No. 3 rolling to the 6-3, 6-2 win. Brechtel then tallied the sixth point for WNMU with his win at No. 6 grabbing the 6-3, 7-6 decision. Fraboulet nearly rallied for the win in his match at the top flight as he lost the first set, 3-6, but came back for a 6-2 win in the second before falling 3-10. Pageault won eight games in his match at No. 2 but lost by the same set scores of 6-4. O'Keefe rounded out the results at No. 5 as he fell in the first set, 6-2, but came back strong in the second before falling just short 6-4.

WNMU then put a scare in Azusa Pacific the next day coming up just short 5-3. In doubles, the Mustangs took the lead 2-1 with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. Both of those matches went into tiebreakers with Pageault/Fraboulet pulling out the 9-8 (7-3) win at No. 2 and then O'Keefe/Brechtel grabbing the 9-8 (8-6) win at No. 3. Gnilozubov/Da Lio had a tough matchup with the No. 2 ranked duo in the nation and fell at the top flight 8-4.

In singles, Gnilozubov recorded the win at No. 3 as he started strong with a 6-2 first set win and then fought off a challenge in the second set for the 7-6 win. Brechtel was in control in his match at No. 6 before the match was called as he won the opening set 6-4 and was down just 4-5 in the second. Pageault went three sets with No. 30 Christian Schmid as he won the first set 6-3 and after dropping the second 3-6, he fell in the third 2-6. Da Lio also went all three sets at No. 4 as he rallied from losing the first set 4-6 and won the second 7-5 before falling 3-6 in the third. Fraboulet had a tough matchup at the top flight against the top ranked player in the nation in Oliver Frank falling 6-1, 6-1. O'Keefe fell by the same scores of 6-1, 6-1 as he fell in his match at No. 5.

The Mustangs later in the day went against UC Riverside and fell 5-2. In doubles, the Division I rules have the winning team in doubles get just one point as UC Riverside held the 2-1 edge in doubles to take the point. Pageault/Fraboulet at No. 2 grabbed the point with the 6-3 victory. O'Keefe/Grabovic came close to pulling out the point at No. 3 as they fell just short, 7-5. Gnilozubov/Da Lio ran into a tough combo at the top flight and were defeated 6-2.

In singles, Fraboulet and Gnilozubov tallied the wins for the Mustangs. Fraboulet had to battle hard for the win at the top flight as he lost the first set 3-6, but came back strong with a 6-3, 11-9 victory. Gnilozubov cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 3. Grabovic came close to grabbing the first set at No. 6 before falling 7-5, 6-0. O'Keefe won five games at No. 4 before a 6-3, 6-2 setback. Pageault rallied from a 6-3 loss in the first set and came really close to claiming the second set before a 7-5 loss at No. 2. Brechtel fell at No. 5 6-2, 6-1.

WNMU was also scheduled to face Holy Names, but the match was cancelled due to weather. They will now return to action on Mar. 9-11 when they will face UT Permian Basin, St. Mary's and St. Edward's.

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Players Mentioned

Sascha Brechtel: 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior

Tristan Da Lio: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior

Liam Fraboulet: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Vladimir Gnilozubov: 5' 8"; Junior

Blayze O'Keefe: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Jean-Laurent Pageault: 5' 11"; Senior

Zachary Grabovic: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Sascha Brechtel
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior

Tristan Da Lio
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior

Liam Fraboulet
: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Vladimir Gnilozubov
: 5' 8"; Junior

Blayze O'Keefe
: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Jean-Laurent Pageault
: 5' 11"; Senior

Zachary Grabovic
: 6' 0"; Sophomore