The UNM men's tennis team lost another heart-breaking match against Yale University on Friday night 4-3 at the Lobo Tennis Club.
UNM got off to a good start in doubles play, taking two of three matches. The number one doubles match pitted junior Bart Scott and freshman David Kowalski against the Bulldogs' Steve Burke and Adam West. UNM lead early 2-1, but trailed three points to two when Scott delivered a powerful return up the middle to break Yale's serve and give UNM a 3-1 lead. Scott closed out his serve with an ace to take a 4-1 lead.
The Bulldogs never gave up though and battled back to break Kowalski's serve and close the margin to 4-3. With the score tied at four games apiece, Scott used an ace and another overpowering serve to give the Lobos a two points to one lead, but Yale came back to tie the point at four.
Kowalski and Scott collided during the ninth game as both players went for the ball, but both players got up quickly. The collision nearly cost the Lobos the game. Scott managed to blow a couple of serves past the Bulldog players and UNM held on to take a 5-4 lead. The two teams traded the next three games to bring the score to 6-6. Scott followed by losing his serve and Yale took the match 8-6.
The Lobos did manage to win the other doubles matches with an 8-6 victory by freshman Ryan Stotland and junior Brent Salazar at the number two position, and an 8-5 win by seniors Michael Polasek and Diego Garza in the number three position. The Stotland and Salazar combination came back from a 5-2 deficit to win their match.
In singles action, sophomore Divan Coetzee lost to Steve Berke 6-2, 6-2 at the number one position. Scott took the first set of his match at the number two position, but lost command of his serve and dropped a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 decision to Ryan Murphy. Kowalski pulled out a win at the number three position 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. At the number four position, Polasek handled Andrew Rosenfeld in straight sets 6-1, 7-5. Garza lost his match 6-3, 6-4 at the number five spot and, in the closest and deciding match, senior John Kowalski lost to Johnny Lu 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 in a nail biter.
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