SMU
#74 UT Arlington
SMU Drops Tight Contest To UT Arlington, 4-3
Mar 31 | Men's Tennis
DALLAS (SMU) -- The SMU Mustangs and UT Arlington Mavericks played a highly-competitive match on Tuesday evening at the Turpin Stadium at the SMU Tennis Complex, ultimately resulting in a 4-3 victory for UT Arlington following a third-set tiebreaker at No. 1 singles.
SMU (17-6) received singles wins from sophomore Markus Kerner, junior Nate Lammons and freshman Samm Butler. Kerner beat Stefan Williams at No. 2 singles 7-6 (3), 6-2, to improve to 13-9 this spring. Lammons tied the match at 2-2 with his win at No. 4 shortly after, beating Daniel Armengol 7-6 (6), 6-3. Lammons trailed 6-2 in the first set tiebreaker before winning six consecutive points to claim the opening frame. Lammons' win was his 15th of the season.
After UT Arlington took a 3-2 lead, Butler knotted the score back up with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 3 over Johnathan Gonzalez. Butler improved to 17-3 on the season with the victory.
The match was set for an exciting finish with SMU's Arturs Kazijevs and UT Arlington's Sebastian Erimicioiu fighting for the win at No. 1 singles. Erimicioiu had won the first set 7-6 (2) and Kazijevs claimed the following set 6-3.The third set went to another tiebreaker, and Kazijevs took a 4-2 lead quickly. Erimicioiu answered with five straight points from that point forward to seal the win for the Mavericks.
UT Arlington opened the match with a 1-0 lead after taking doubles victories on courts 1 and 2.
SMU will host American Athletic Conference foe and 22nd-ranked USF on Friday at the SMU Tennis Complex at 5 p.m. CT.
Tennis Match Results
UT Arlington vs SMU
Mar 31, 2015 at Dallas, Texas
#74 UT Arlington 4, #39 SMU 3
Singles competition
1. Erimicioiu, S. (UTA) def. Arturs Kazijevs (SMU) 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 7-6 (7-4)
2. Markus Kerner (SMU) def. Williams, Stefan (UTA) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2
3. Samm Butler (SMU) def. Gonzalez, Johnathan (UTA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Nate Lammons (SMU) def. Armengol, Daniel (UTA) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3
5. Arbiza, Carlos (UTA) def. Arkadijs Slobodkins (SMU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
6. Muniesa, Mario (UTA) def. Julio Olaya (SMU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Muniesa, Mario/Gonzalez, Johnathan (UTA) def. #63 Arturs Kazijevs/Markus Kerner (SMU) 6-3
2. Echeverry, Daniel/Erimicioiu, S. (UTA) def. Nate Lammons/Arkadijs Slobodkins (SMU) 6-2
3. Tony Russell/Samm Butler (SMU) vs. Arbiza, Carlos/Armengol, Daniel (UTA) 4-5, unfinished
Match Notes:
UT Arlington 11-6; National ranking #74
SMU 17-6; National ranking #39
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (6,2,4,5,3,1)
T-3:30 A-85
