No. 24 Men’s Tennis Goes 2-1 in Midland Defeating UTPB and No. 25 St. Edward’s

MIDLAND, Texas – The No. 24 Western New Mexico University men's tennis team opened Lone Star Conference play with a win over UT Permian Basin 7-2 and then after a tough 8-1 loss to No. 23 St. Mary's, came back strong with a big regional victory over No. 25 St. Edward's 7-2 during this past weekend.

The Mustangs opened the Lone Star Conference season rolling to a 7-2 win over UT Permian Basin. It was also the first conference match for the Falcons. In doubles, #3 ranked redshirt junior Tristan Da Lio (Casablanca/Academie des Hauts de Nimes)/junior Valdimir Gnilozubov had to scratch for their win at the top flight taking the 9-8 victory. Senior Jean-Laurent Pageault (Perrigny, France/Academi des Hauts de Nimes)/sophomore Liam Fraboulet (Lycée Kerraoul, Paimpol, France/Lycée Kerraoul) grabbed the second point with an 8-6 win at No. 2. Sophomores Blayze O'Keefe (Las Vegas, NV/Odyssey Charter)/Zachary Grabovic (South Bank, Australia/St. Kevin's College) nearly made it a clean sweep but fell in a tiebreaker, 8-9 at No. 3.

In singles, the Mustangs won at No. 2 all the way through No. 6. Pageault, Gnilozubov and Da Lio all won in straight sets. Pageault tallied a 6-3, 7-6 win at No. 2, Gnilozubov rolled to a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3 and Da Lio added a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 4. Redshirt junior Sascha Brechtel (Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany/Kurpfalz Gymnasium Mannheim ) dropped his first set at No. 5 3-6, but then came back strong to win taking sets two and three 6-3 and 7-5. Grabovic added a tough three-set win at No. 6 as he also dropped the first set 6-7, but rallied for the 6-4, 6-0 victory. #14 Fraboulet at the top flight ran into a tough match and fell 2-6, 1-6.

The Mustangs then ran into a tough match with #23 St. Mary's when the Rattlers took the 8-1 victory. In doubles, Da Lio/Gnilozubov continue their streak of pulling out tough matches as they grabbed a 9-8 win at the top flight. Grabovic/O'Keefe came close at No. 3 before an 8-6 loss. In the final doubles match at No. 2, Pageault/Fraboulet posted four games before an 8-4 loss.

In singles, Gnilozubov at No. 3, Da Lio at No. 4 and Brechtel at No. 5 all went three sets. All three came back from dropping the opening sets, as Gnilozubov dropped the first set 1-6, but then came back with a 6-3 win in the second before a 2-6 loss in the third. Da Lio lost his first set 2-6, but then dominated the second set with a 6-0 win before falling in the third 5-7. Brechtel lost his first set 3-6 and then pulled out a tiebreaker in the second 7-6 before falling in the third 3-6. Pageault tallied six games in his match at No. 2 before a 6-4, 6-2 loss. Fraboulet came close at No. 1 after a 6-1 loss in the first set to post four games in the second set before falling 6-4. O'Keefe fell by the same scores of 6-1 at No. 6.

WNMU closed the week strong with a big 7-2 regional win over #25 St. Edward's. In doubles, the Mustangs started strong jumping out to a 3-0 lead. O'Keefe/Grabovic had the easiest time as they grabbed an 8-3 win at No. 3. Da Lio/Gnilozubov added an 8-5 win at No. 1, while Pageault/Fraboulet fought off a tough challenge at No. 2 before pulling away for the 9-7 win.

In singles, the Mustangs claimed points at No. 1 through No. 3 and at No. 6. Grabovic cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 6. Pageault and Gnilozubov also won in straight sets with Pageault winning 7-5, 6-3 at No. 2, while Gnilozubov added a 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 3. Fraboulet at the top flight as he won the first set 7-5 and after dropping the second set 5-7, he came back with a 10-6 win in the third set. Da Lio collected 10 games in his match at No. 4 before falling 6-4, 7-6. Brechtel lost by the same scores of 6-3 in both sets at No. 5.

The Mustangs, now 6-4 on the season, will play four matches in California this week opening with UC San Diego, then facing Bucknell University, Grossmont College and San Diego Christian College.

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Players Mentioned

Sascha Brechtel: 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior

Tristan Da Lio: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior

Liam Fraboulet: 5' 11"; Sophomore

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

Blayze O'Keefe
: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Jean-Laurent Pageault
: 5' 11"; Senior

Zachary Grabovic
: 6' 0"; Sophomore