Monday, 04/26/2010

Freshman has nine-match singles streak, seven match doubles streak

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico men’s tennis team snapped a four-match losing streak with a 6-1 win over No. 63 TCU at the Linda Estes Tennis Center today. The Lobos move to 7-11 and 2-3 in Mountain West Conference play and will have a chance to even their conference mark next Saturday when they close out the regular season against Air Force in Colorado Springs.

TCU drops to 9-11 overall and 3-3 in MWC action.

Freshman Conor Berg extends his singles winning streak to nine matches and his doubles winning streak to seven matches. The freshman picked up a 6-4, 6-1 win over  Soren Goritzka at the No. 5 slot after teaming up with partner Ben Dunbar for an 8-2 win at the No. 3 doubles position.

Berg is an outstanding 5-0 in MWC singles and, with Dunbar, 5-0 in MWC doubles. The pair is 8-1 on the dual season, including 7-0 at the No. 2 position.

UNM, who is coming off a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to No. 22 Boise State on Thursday, rebounded furiously, surrendering just two combined matches between doubles and singles play.

Furthermore, four of the Lobos’ five singles wins came in two sets with Jadon Phillips storming back from a 6-0 first-set loss to win the final two sets, 7-6, 6-4, for his 20th win of the season. He is now 20-12 in fall and spring singles combined.

UNM wraps up the regular season nest Saturday, April 24, with a trip to Colorado Springs, Colo., to take on Air Force. After that, the Lobos will head to Las Vegas, Nev., to defend their MWC Championship at the conference tournament April 29-May 1.

University of New Mexico 6, #63 TCU 1

Singles competition
1. Ben Dunbar (NM) def. Emanuel Brighiu (TCU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Jadon Phillips (NM) def. Zach Nichols (TCU) 0-6, 7-6, 6-4
3. Carl Ho (NM) def. Christopher Price (TCU) 6-4, 6-1
4. M-A Cirstea (TCU) def. Phil Anderson (NM) 7-6, 6-3
5. Conor Berg (NM) def. Soren Goritzka (TCU) 6-1, 6-4
6. Joe Wood (NM) def. Paul Chappell (TCU) 6-3, 7-6

Doubles competition
1. #67 Emanuel Brighiu/Christopher Price (TCU) def. Jadon Phillips/Phil Anderson (NM) 8-6
2. Ben Dunbar/Conor Berg (NM) def. Cameron Nash/Slah Mbraek (TCU) 8-6
3. Joe Wood/Carl Ho (NM) def. Paul Chappell/Zach Nichols (TCU) 8-2

Match Notes:
TCU 9-11, 3-3; National ranking #63
University of New Mexico 7-11, 2-3