WICHITA, Kan. – New Mexico put together one too many rallies to take down the Shockers, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at Genesis Health Club.
DOUBLES
New Mexico put together two rallies to take the doubles point from the Shockers, in three matches that came down to the wire.
Andrea Caligiana and
Miroslav Herzan improved to 8-4 on the season in the second flight, taking down Ricky Hernandez Tong and Dominic West (6-4). Stepan Holis and Sean Baklini of New Mexico stormed back from a 5-2 deficit to win 7-5 over
Eddie Stoica and
Haru Inoue in the third flight. It came down to a tiebreaker in the first flight, where 76th-ranked
Murkel Dellien and
Marius Frosa took on Bart Van Leijsen and Jorge Escutia. After trading games, New Mexico rallied to force a tiebreaker and win (7-6(6)) to take the doubles point.
SINGLES
The Shockers grabbed two straight singles wins in the fourth and sixth flights to take a 2-1 lead over the Lobos. Caligiana improved to 6-4 in the sixth flight with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Baklini in flight six. Herzan returned to the fourth flight and defeated Escutia in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, improving to 9-4 on the season.
New Mexico answered with a win in flight two, where Hernandez Tong took down Frosa 6-4, 7-6 in a close one. Dellien answered to go back on top with a 7-6, 6-2 win over West in the third flight, extended his record to 9-4 and winner of two in a row. Inoue and Van Leijsen battled each other in a three-set nail biter. After losing the first set, Inoue battled back in the second winning 7-6 to force a third set. Van Leijsen came away with the win to set up a winner take all in the fifth flight.
Stoica and Holis traded sets, and went game-for-game in the third set before Holis reeled off the win (5-7, 6-4, 7-5) to give New Mexico the match.
The Shockers and Lobos split this season with each team losing on their home court. WSU defeated then 46th ranked New Mexico (4-1) at the Mountain Pacific Invite earlier this season on the way to its second-straight title.
Wichita State welcomes Dartmouth to Wichita next Sunday, March 18 at 12 p.m. at the Sheldon Coleman Tennis Complex.
New Mexico 4, Wichita State 3
Singles Competition
1. Bart Van Leijsen (UNM) def. Haru Inoue (WSU) 6-2, 6-7, 6-3
2. Ricky Hernandez Tong (UNM) def. Marius Frosa (WSU) 6-4, 7-6
3. Murkel Dellien (WSU) def. Dominic West (UNM) 7-6, 6-2
4. Miroslav Herzan (WSU) def. Jorge Escutia (UNM) 6-4, 6-3
5. Stepan Holis (UNM) def. Eddie Stoica (WSU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
6. Andrea Caligiana (WSU) def. Sean Baklini (UNM) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles Competition
1. Bart Van Leijsen/Jorge Escutia (UNM) def. #76 Murkel Dellien/Marius Frosa (WSU) 7-6 (8-6)
2. Andrea Caligiana/Miroslav Herzan (WSU) def. Ricky Hernandez Tong/Dominic West (UNM) 6-4
3. Stepan Holis/Sean Baklini (UNM) def. Eddie Stoica/Haru Inoue (WSU) 7-5
Match Notes:
New Mexico 7-5
Wichita State 7-7
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,4,2,3,1,5)
