Final Stats

AUSTIN, Texas (SMU) - The No. 49 SMU men's tennis team fell to No. 26 Texas in a tightly contested match 4-2, inside the Weller Indoor Tennis Center on Thursday night.

SMU (1-2) opened the match with the doubles point after winning on courts one and three. Juniors Hunter and Yates Johnson took care of business on court one, winning 6-1 over Michael Riechmann and Adrian Ortiz. The duo of junior Arkadijs Slobodkins and sophomore Ronald Slobodchikov gave SMU the 1-0 early lead after topping Harrison Scott and Colin Markes 6-3.

Texas grabbed the first singles point on court six after Julian Zlobinsky took down Slobodkins in straight sets 6-3, 6-4. The Longhorns grabbed their first lead of the match after No. 94 singles player Harrison Scott beat junior Markus Kerner 6-4, 6-4. The Mustangs knotted the match at two apiece after sophomore Samm Butler played Ortiz to a tough three sets. Butler earned the first set with ease, winning 6-2. Ortiz answered back with his own 6-2 victory in the second set, but Butler would pick up his first singles win in dual match play after winning the decisive third set 6-2.

After a straight sets victory of 7-5, 7-5 from No. 114 singles player Riechmann over Yates to give the Longhorns a 3-2 lead, Slobodchikov and Hunter had their own three set match going on. Slobodchikov dropped the first set 6-1, but bounced back in the second set to win 7-6 (3). Slobodchikov was unable to win the tie-breaking third set against Rodrigo Banzer and Texas won the fourth point to clinch the match. Hunter had split the first two sets against George Goldhoff and Hunter had a slight 6-5 lead in the final set before the match was decided.

The Mustangs will have their home-opener on Sunday, when they host a doubleheader. SMU faces DePaul at 12 p.m. and will cap the day against UTRGV at 4 p.m.

Tennis Match Results
SMU vs Texas
Jan 28, 2016 at Austin, Texas
(Weller Indoor Tennis Center)
#26 Texas 4, #49 SMU 2

Singles competition
1. George Goldhoff (UT-M) vs. #32 Hunter Johnson (SMU) 2-6, 6-4, 5-6, dnf
2. #94 Harrison Scott (UT-M) def. Markus Kerner (SMU) 6-4, 6-4
3. Samm Butler (SMU) def. Adrian Ortiz (UT-M) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
4. Rodrigo Banzer (UT-M) def. Ronald Slobodchikov (SMU) 6-1, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3
5. #114 Michael Riechmann (UT-M) def. Yates Johnson (SMU) 7-6 (7-1), 7-5
6. Julian Zlobinsky (UT-M) def. Arkadijs Slobodkins (SMU) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. Hunter Johnson/Yates Johnson (SMU) def. Adrian Ortiz/Michael Riechmann (UT-M) 6-1
2. Markus Kerner/Samm Butler (SMU) def. George Goldhoff/Julian Zlobinsky (UT-M) 5-3
3. Ronald Slobodchikov/Arkadijs Slobodkins (SMU) def. Colin Markes/Harrison Scott (UT-M) 6-3

Match Notes:
SMU 1-2; National ranking #49
Texas 4-3; National ranking #26
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (6,2,3,5,4)