Final Stats

DALLAS (SMU) - The SMU Mustangs dropped a thrilling 4-3 match to Columbia on Thursday evening inside Turpin Stadium.

Juniors Hunter and Yates Johnson won the first doubles match on court one, 6-2 against Shawn Hadavi and Richard Pham. On court two, senior Nate Lammons and junior Arkadijs Slobodkins fell to Mike Vermeer and Christopher Grant 6-3. Junior Markus Kerner and sophomore Samm Butler dropped a tight doubles contest 7-5, giving the Lions an early 1-0 lead.

Michal Rolski of the Lions earned the first singles win on court six defeating Yates 6-1, 6-2. Down 0-2 in the match, SMU went on a run of its own, starting with Butler winning his singles match in straight set 6-4, 6-3. Junior Ronald Slobodchikov tied the match at two apiece after his own straight sets victory, 6-2, 7-5 over Richard.

Columbia regained the lead at 3-2 after a win on court two by Victor Pham over Lammons, 7-5, 6-2. The Lions went on to win on court four in a tight three set match, earning the match-clinching fourth point from Eric Rubin over Kerner. With the match already concluded, the two teams decided to finish the final singles match on court one. After losing the first set 7-6 (7-4), Hunter went on to win the last two sets 7-5, 6-2, earning his 19th singles win of the year.

SMU will be back in action on Saturday against Dartmouth. Doubles play is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. CT.

Tennis Match Results
Columbia vs SMU
Mar 17, 2016 at Dallas, Texas
#39 Columbia 4, #44 SMU 3

Singles Competition
1. Hunter Johnson (SMU) def. Hadavi, Shawn (COLU) 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-2
2. Pham, Victor (COLU) def. Nate Lammons (SMU) 7-5, 6-2
3. Samm Butler (SMU) def. Vermeer, Mike (COLU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Rubin, Eric (COLU) def. Markus Kerner (SMU) 6-7 (8-10), 6-4, 6-3
5. Ronald Slobodchikov (SMU) def. Pham, Richard (COLU) 6-2, 7-5
6. Wang, Timothy (COLU) def. Yates Johnson (SMU) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles Competition
1. Hunter Johnson/Yates Johnson (SMU) def. Hadavi, Shawn/Pham, Richard (COLU) 6-2
2. Rolski, Michal/Vermeer, Mike (COLU) def. Nate Lammons/Arkadijs Slobodkins (SMU) 6-3
3. Alda, Miguel/Grant, Christopher (COLU) def. Markus Kerner/Samm Butler (SMU) 7-5

Match Notes:
Columbia 10-4; National ranking #39
SMU 13-5; National ranking #44
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,3,5,2,4,1)
T-3:12 A-98