Men’s Tennis Comes Close Against Pair of Nationally-Ranked Teams

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo./DENVER, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University men's tennis team nearly pulled off a pair of wins over No. 50 Oklahoma Baptist and No. 31 MSU Denver before both teams won by 6-3 scores. The Mustangs faced Oklahoma Baptist in Colorado Springs and then MSU Denver in Denver.

Doubles has been strong for the Mustangs (3-11) throughout the year and that continued against Oklahoma Baptist (5-3) as Vladimir Gnilozubov (Kazakhstan, Astana/Kazakhstan)/Liam Fraboulet (Lycée Kerraoul, Paimpol, France/Lycée Kerraoul) grabbed an 8-4 win at the top flight. Zachary Grabovic (Melbourne, Australia/St. Kevin's College)/Niko Barr (Whakatane, New Zealand/Trident) added to that an 8-6 win at No. 2. Pablo Santibanez (Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico/CETYS Universidad)/David Valles (Guadalajara, Mexico/HYCIG) nearly made it a clean-sweep at No. 3 before falling just short 5-8.

In singles, Fraboulet fought off a tough challenge at the top flight as he recovered from an opening set 6-7 loss to take the next two sets 7-5, 7-5 for the hard-fought victory. Barr did all he could to claim another point at No. 3 as he won 11 total games, even going to a tiebreaker in the first set before a 6-7, 5-7 setback. Gnilozubov looked to rally at No. 2 as he lost the first set 2-6, but came close in the second before a 5-7 loss. Grabovic won six games at No. 4, 3-6, 3-6, Valles won four games at No. 5, 4-6, 0-6 and Santibanez won three games at No. 6, 3-6, 0-6.

WNMU finished the week against MSU Denver (9-6) and came close in all three doubles matches. Gnilozubov/Fraboulet tallied another win against the nationally-ranked duo of Josh Graetz/Joey Tscherne, 8-6, at the top flight. Jose Mario Neto (Curitiba, Brazil/Colegio Padre Joao Bagozzi)/Valles nearly went to a tiebreaker in their match at No. 3 before falling in a back-and-forth 7-9 match. Grabovic/Barr were within a couple of games in their match at No. 2 before a 6-8 setback.

In singles, Grabovic tallied a three-set win at No. 4. He rallied from a 2-6 loss in the first set to take the next two sets, 6-4, 6-2. WNMU picked up their other point at No. 6 when Neto won by default. Valles was within range of picking up the win at No. 5 as he lost the first set, 1-6, but then won the second 6-4 and then went as far as he could in the third before a tight 8-10 loss. Gnilozubov won 10 games in his match at No. 2 with both sets producing a 5-7 score. Barr nearly had the same results as well at No. 3 as he won nine games coming up just short 4-6, 5-7. Fraboulet ran into a tough matchup with Graetz at the top flight and fell, 2-6, 1-6.

WNMU will return home this Friday when they will open their Lone Star Conference portion of the season against UT Permian Basin starting at 10 a.m.

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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

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