Tennis Battles Midwestern State in Frigid Temperatures

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – With temperatures hovering around 35 degrees at first serve, the Western New Mexico University tennis teams had to not only fight the cold weather, but also a tough opponent in nationally ranked Midwestern State. Midwestern State took both matchups winning 9-0 on the women's side and 7-2 on the men's side Saturday in Lone Star Conference play.

On the women's side, WNMU (2-15, 0-4 LSC) went against No. 18 Midwestern State (13-6, 3-1 LSC) and Jeanne Kolb (La Couronne, France/Lycée de l'Image et du Son)/Klara Smolikova (Jihlava, Czech Republic/Jihlava) at the top flight in doubles fought hard pulling out three games before falling short 3-8. Nadia Justiniano (Santa Cruz, Bolivia/Santa Cruz International School)/Karina Diaz (Laredo, TX/United) posted two games at No. 2, 2-8, while Christine Roerick (Albuquerque, NM/La Cueva)/Kaycie Cormier (Douglas, AZ/Douglas) fell at No. 3, 0-8.

In singles, Smolikova at the top flight battled in both sets before a 3-6, 3-6 loss. Diaz tallied five games at No. 4 before a 2-6, 3-6 setback. Kolb won three games in her first set at No. 3 before running into a tough match after that, 3-6, 0-6. Justiniano won two games at No. 2, 0-6, 2-6, while Roerick at No. 5 and Cormier at No. 6 fell by the same scores of 0-6, 1-6.

On the men's side, WNMU (3-15, 0-3 LSC) faced No. 15 Midwestern State (15-5, 1-0 LSC) and they were able to grab a point at doubles No. 2 when Zachary Grabovic (Melbourne, Australia/St. Kevin's College)/Niko Barr (Whakatane, New Zealand/Trident) pulled out a marathon 9-8 win. The other two doubles matches were close as Pablo Santibanez (Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico/CETYS Universidad)/David Valles (Guadalajara, Mexico/HYCIG) won five games at No. 3, 5-8 and then Vladimir Gnilozubov (Kazakhstan, Astana/Kazakhstan)/Liam Fraboulet (Lycée Kerraoul, Paimpol, France/Lycée Kerraoul) collected four games at the top flight, 4-8.

Fraboulet picked up the second point for WNMU in singles when he won a couple of tough sets to win 7-6, 6-4 at the top flight over the No. 8 ranked player in the nation. Grabovic tried to make things interesting in his match at No. 4. After falling in the first set, 2-6, he went to a tiebreaker in the second before falling just short, 6-7. Gnilozubov at No. 2 and Valles at No. 5 each won four games before falling by the same scores of 2-6, 2-6. Jose Mario Neto (Curitiba, Brazil/Colegio Padre Joao Bagozzi) fell at No. 6, 2-6, 0-6, while Barr lost at No. 3, 1-6, 0-6.

The two teams will close their three-match road swing tomorrow (Sunday) when they will stay in Wichita Falls to face St. Mary's in a regional matchup starting at 10 a.m. Mountain Time.

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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