The 41st-ranked University of New Mexico
men’s tennis team dropped a 4-0 decision
to the 33rd-ranked University of
Minnesota in the first round of the 2009
NCAA Team Tournament Friday afternoon at
USC’s Marks Stadium. The Lobos finish
the regular season with a
20-6 overall mark while the Gophers
improved to 19-7 in their 21st NCAA
appearance.
The Lobos dropped the doubles point
in two matches. Senior Graeme Kassautzki
and sophomore Joe Wood lost 8-4 in the
No. 2 position, snapping a six-game win
streak. The remaining two doubles
combinations for the Lobos pushed their
matches to 6-6 ties, but the Gophers
came out on top. Freshmen Ben Dunbar and
Carl Ho finished their match
first, losing 8-6 to in the No. 3
doubles slot.
New Mexico struggled in the first set
of singles actions.
Parkes was the only Lobo to win his
first set, 7-6, in the No. 1 position.
Minnesota’s No. 4 singles Dino Bilankov
was the first Gopher to add to the lead
when he downed Dunbar, 6-4, 6-1. Soon
after Dehn, at No. 5 singles, downed
Lobo Phil Anderson, 6-2, 6-3, to put the
Gophers ahead 3-0. Dehn won five
straight games to close out the second
set.
While the sets were split on courts
1, 2 and 6, all eyes turned to Gallego
at No. 3 singles. Gallego took the first
set 6-0, but Bugby made the second set a
battle. Gallego, however, was able to
end the match before a Lobo rally
started, clinching the match with a 6-4
second set.
Parkes received an automatic bid to
compete in the NCAA singles competition
in College Station, Texas, beginning on
Wednesday, May 20. Parkes takes his 23-2
spring singles record into the event. He
is one win away from clinching the top
spot on the UNM career singles list.
DOUBLES
(1) Tobias Wernet-Michael Sciora (Minn)
vs. Miles Bugby-Johnny Parkes (UNM),
6-7, susp.
(2) Phil Arndt-Ishay Hadash (Minn)
def. Graeme Kassautzki-Joe Wood (UNM),
8-4
(3) Sebastian Gallego-Julian Dehn (Minn)
def. Ben Dunbar-Carl Ho (UNM), 8-6 Order
of Finish: 2,3
SINGLES
(1) Ishay Hadash (Minn) vs. Johnny
Parkes (UNM), 6-7 (4-7), 3-0 susp.
(2) Tobias Wernet (Minn) vs. Graeme
Kassutzki (UNM), 6-1, 4-6, 1-1 susp.
(3) Sebastian Gallego (Minn) def.
Miles Bugby (UNM), 6-0, 6-4
(4) Dino Bilankov (Minn) def. Ben
Dunbar (UNM), 6-4, 6-1
(5) Julian Dehn (Minn) def. Phil
Anderson (UNM), 6-2, 6-3
(6) Phil Arndt (Minn) vs. Carl Ho (UNM),
6-2, 4-6 susp.
Order of Finish: 4,5,3
