Feb. 26, 2017

DALLAS (SMU)— The SMU men's tennis team survived a tough test against UCF Sunday afternoon, beating the Knights 4-2 at the SMU Tennis Complex. The Mustangs improved to 8-2 overall and 1-0 in American Athletic Conference play, while UCF fell to 6-3 and 0-1 in the AAC.

SMU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Markus Kerner and Arkadijs Slobodkins defeated UCF's Enrique Paya and Chris Barrus, 6-2, while Tony Russell and Ronald Slobodchikov beat Danny Kerznerman and Mariano Porter, 6-2.

Yates Johnson defeated UCF's Porter in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, to earn SMU's second point of the afternoon. Samm Butler took court three also in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, to put SMU up 3-1. UCF earned its second point as Slobodkins dropped to Kerznerman, 6-3, 6-4.

Leading by one point, 3-2, SMU's Hunter Johnson forced a third set after winning a 12-10 tiebreak over UCF's Richmond after dropping the first set 6-3. Simultaneously, Kerner earned a third set after falling in a tiebreak to UCF's Barrus in the first set and winning the second, 6-4. In a hard fought battle, Kerner prevailed to take the third set, 6-2, giving SMU it's fourth point of the evening and the eighth win of the season.

Next, the Mustangs take on crosstown rival, TCU, Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at the SMU Tennis Complex.

#29 SMU 4, UCF 2
Feb 26, 2017 at Dallas, Texas

Singles competition
1. #93 Korey Lovett (UCF) def. #46 Ronald Slobodchikov (SMU) 6-2, 6-3
2. #51 Hunter Johnson (SMU) vs. Harrison Richmond (UCF) 3-6, 7-6, 3-2, unfinished
3. Samm Butler (SMU) def. Enrique Paya (UCF) 6-1, 6-4
4. Markus Kerner (SMU) def. Chris Barrus (UCF) 6-7, 6-4, 6-2
5. Danny Kerznerman (UCF) def. Arkadijs Slobodkins (SMU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Yates Johnson (SMU) def. Mariano Porter (UCF) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. #42 Hunter Johnson/Yates Johnson (SMU) vs. Korey Lovett/Harrison Richmond (UCF) 5-4, unfinished
2. Markus Kerner/Arkadijs Slobodkins (SMU) def. Enrique Paya/Chris Barrus (UCF) 6-2
3. Tony Russell/Ronald Slobodchikov (SMU) def. Danny Kerznerman/Mariano Porter (UCF) 6-2

Match Notes
UCF 6-3
SMU 8-2; National ranking #29
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (1,6,3,5,4)