Tennis Begins Road Trip to Southern California Against Point Loma

SAN DIEGO, Calif. --- The Western New Mexico University tennis teams kicked off their Southern California road swing Thursday as they faced Point Loma. The Sea Lions took both matches, with the Lady Mustangs falling 9-0 and the Mustangs 8-1.

On the women's side, Point Loma came in ranked No. 22 in the nation. In doubles, Klara Smolikova (Czech Republic)/Jeanne Kolb (La Couronne, France/Lycée de l'Image et du Son) at the top flight and Nadia Justiniano (Santa Cruz, Bolivia/Santa Cruz International School)/Karina Diaz (Laredo, TX/United) at No. 2 each won two games before falling 2-8. In the other doubles matches at No. 3, Christine Roerick (Albuquerque, NM/La Cueva)/Kaycie Cormier (Douglas, AZ/) fell, 0-8.

In singles, Kolb nearly continued her hot streak at No. 3. She started strong by winning the first set, 6-4 and after dropping the second, 1-6, she nearly pulled out the third set before falling just short, 6-10. Justiniano at No. 2 nearly forced her match to a third set. After dropping the opening set, 1-6, she won five games in the second before a 5-7 loss. Smolikova at the top flight and Roerick at No. 5 each won four games, but fell in straight sets. Smolikova fell, 1-6, 3-6, while Roerick lost 2-6, 2-6. Diaz at No. 4 and Cormier at No. 6 fell by the same scores of 1-6, 1-6.

On the men's side, the Mustangs came close in a pair of doubles matches. At the top flight behind Liam Fraboulet (Lycée Kerraoul, Paimpol, France/Lycée Kerraoul)/Vladimir Gnilozubov (Kazakhstan, Astana/Kazakhstan) and at No. 2 with David Valles (Guadalajara, Mexico/HYCIG)/Zachary Grabovic (Melbourne, Australia/St. Kevin's College), WNMU each won five games before dropping the matches, 5-8. At No. 3, Jose Mario Neto (Curitiba, Brazil/Colegio Padre Joao Bagozzi)/Niko Barr (Whakatane, New Zealand/Trident) ran into a tough matchup and lost 1-8.

In singles, Gnilozubov claimed the point for the Mustangs at No. 2. He cruised to the victory, dropping just six games, 6-2, 6-4. Fraboulet at the top flight and Barr at No. 5 each almost claimed their first sets. Fraboulet lost the opening set, 5-7, and then lost the second, 1-6. Barr had an almost identical result as he dropped a close opening set, 5-7, before also falling in the second, 2-6. Grabovic at No. 3 and Valles at No. 4 each fell by the same set scores of 3-6, 3-6. Rounding out the players for the Mustangs was Pablo Santibanez (Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico/CETYS Universidad) at No. 6 as he lost 1-6, 2-6.

It won't get any easier for the Mustangs on Friday as they will travel to Azusa to face Azusa Pacific. Azusa Pacific is ranked ninth on the women's side and sixth on the men's side.

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Players Mentioned

Liam Fraboulet: 5' 11"; Junior

Vladimir Gnilozubov: 5' 8"; Senior

Zachary Grabovic: 6' 0"; Senior

Pablo Santibanez: 6' 1"; Senior

Jose Mota Neto: 5' 7"; Freshman

David Valles: 5' 9"; Freshman

Niko Barr: 6' 0"; Junior

Karina Diaz: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Nadia Justiniano: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Jeanne Kolb: 5' 1"; Senior

Players Mentioned

Liam Fraboulet
: 5' 11"; Junior

Vladimir Gnilozubov
: 5' 8"; Senior

Zachary Grabovic
: 6' 0"; Senior

Pablo Santibanez
: 6' 1"; Senior

Jose Mota Neto
: 5' 7"; Freshman

David Valles
: 5' 9"; Freshman

Niko Barr
: 6' 0"; Junior

Karina Diaz
: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Nadia Justiniano
: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Jeanne Kolb
: 5' 1"; Senior