March 17, 2010
SMU-Columbia Box Score 
SMU-Prairie View A&M Box
DALLAS (SMU) - SMU men's tennis fans got to see a few new faces Thursday as the Mustangs split their doubleheader against Columbia and Prairie View A&M. SMU lost to No. 59 Columbia in a close match 4-3 before blowing out Prairie View 7-0.
In the first match of the day against Columbia, four singles matches went to three sets. SMU went 2-2 in those matches as Darren Walsh and Pablo Perez-Esnaola each won. For Walsh it marked his fourth straight victory, improving him to 9-5 on the season. He also teamed with Adham el-Effendi to help win the doubles point for the Mustangs, as the No. 29 team in the country beat the Lion tandem of Nathaniel Gery and Haig Schneiderman, 8-6.
"I thought the match against Columbia was a very hard fought match," head coach Carl Neufeld said. "We faced some adversity and although we didn't get the desired outcome in the afternoon, we battled back and had a good showing in the second match against Prairie View A&M."
In the nightcap against the Panthers, two Mustangs made their season debuts. Robert Lambeth and Mason Harrell who played the Nos. 4 and 5 slots respectively each earned a victory in their inaugural match. Lambeth beat Christopher Jordan 6-2, 6-3 while Harrell won 6-2, 6-4 over Kristin Powell. Both players also got a chance to get in doubles action with Lambeth teaming with Andrew Peterson while Harrell partnered with Brian Griffin. Both teams won their match 8-3.
Playing for Prairie View A&M was Ronald Chidzikwe. He is the younger brother of former nationally ranked SMU player Genius Chidzikwe, who graduated in 2001. As a senior he climbed all the way to No. 1 in the ITA rankings.
SMU will return to action on Friday at 2 p.m. against Oral Roberts. The match is the third of 11 on the current homestand to close the regular season.
