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DALLAS (SMU) - The Mustangs finish their homestand on Wednesday, March 14, with a match against No. 9 Columbia at noon at the SMU Tennis Complex.
 
The Mustangs, now 7-8 overall, are coming off a doubleheader sweep of Prairie View A&M on Monday. The Mustangs earned the doubles point in both matches, totaling eight times this spring. After defeating the Panthers 5-2 in the first match, SMU delivered a 7-0 sweep in the afternoon. Each singles match won by the Mustangs was clinched in straight sets.
 
SCOUTING COLUMBIA
Columbia enters Dallas as the No. 9 team in the ITA/Oracle Rankings, with just two losses against No. 4 Georgia and No. 24 Baylor. The Lions jumped in the rankings after picking up quality wins against No. 9 Oklahoma State and No. 12 Baylor at the ITA Indoor Team National Championship in Seattle, Washington. The team is coming off an 18-5 campaign in the 2016-17 season which led them to the second round of the NCAA Regionals. Led by Victor Pham and his 10-1 singles record, the Lions are seeking their fifth consecutive Ivy League Championship this season.
 
SERIES INFO
The Mustangs hold a 10-6 overall record against the Lions dating back to 2001, but SMU is 1-7 against Columbia in the last eight matches. Every match has been held in Dallas. The two teams last met in 2017, where SMU suffered a 4-1 loss.
 
SMU vs. Columbia (10-6)
Home: 10-6, Away: 0-0, Neutral: 0-0
3/13/01..............H.................W................... 5-2
3/20/02..............H.................W................... 7-0
3/19/03..............H.................W................... 4-3
3/17/04..............H.................W................... 6-1
3/16/05..............H.................W................... 5-2
3/15/06..............H.................W................... 5-2
3/13/07..............H.................W................... 4-3
3/22/08..............H.................W................... 6-1
3/18/09..............H.................W................... 6-1
3/17/10..............H.................L .................... 4-3
3/15/11..............H.................W................... 6-1
3/14/12..............H.................L .................... 5-2
3/19/13..............H.................L .................... 5-2
3/18/14..............H.................L .................... 4-3
3/17/16..............H.................L .................... 4-3
3/14/17..............H.................L .................... 1-4
 
VRBSKY/VAISE FRESHMAN DUO
Freshmen Jan-Simon Vrbsky and Tomas Vaise have compiled standout performances so far in dual match season. The pair combines for a team-best 7-3 record at No. 1 doubles. Vaise holds a 7-4 singles record, while Vrbsky is 8-4. The pair has faced two ranked doubles pairs and Vrbsky has faced four nationally-ranked players at the No. 1 position.
 
TAKING ON RANKED OPPONENTS
The Mustangs have matched up agaisnt tough competition in dual match season, having faced four Oracle/ITA nationally-ranked teams in 15 matches. SMU first traveled to No. 8 Texas, followed by a home match against No. 18 TCU, a road match at No. 10 Oklahoma State, and a home match vs. No. 41 Memphis. Since taking on Harvard and Arkansas, both teams have appeared on the national rankings as well, with Arkansas listed at No. 50 on Feb. 20 and Harvard reaching as low as No. 23. SMU is slated to face two more ranked opponents this season: No. 9 Columbia and No. 34 Tulane.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Mustangs overpowered Prairie View A&M twice in Monday's doubleheader at the SMU Tennis Complex, first in a 5-2 morning victory and again later in a 7-0 sweep.

SMU, now 7-8 overall, clinched the doubles point and picked up wins from No. 1 singles in both matches.

"It was an exciting day for the Mustangs because playing two matches in one day is very difficult," head coach Carl Neufeld said. "But our guys played some great tennis today."

In the first match, Eladio Fabregas and Gardiner Perotti played at the top doubles spot for the first time this season, earning a 6-1 victory. Jan-Simon Vrbsky and Charles Nettlefold played to a 6-1 win at No. 2 to give the Mustangs a lead heading into singles play.

Vrbsky earned SMU's second point with a 6-1, 6-0 rout of PVAMU's Ulrick Boyogueno, followed by Roberto Rosales' 6-2, 6-1 win over Rodrigo Yoshikata. Fabregas picked up his fifth win of dual match season, a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 4, to clinch the day's first match for SMU.

Matches played on, allowing Michael Smith to earn his first win of dual match season against Anirudh Yadav, 7-5, 6-4.

The Mustangs found momentum against the Panthers again in the afternoon, earning the doubles point for the third straight match. Vrbsky and Vaise partnered for a 6-1 win, while Nettlefold and Rosales followed with a 6-3 victory. The Mustangs improve to 18-15 overall in doubles play.

SMU went on to sweep singles play, winning each match in straight sets. Nettlefold earned his third win of the season with a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 3, while Smith earned his second win in a 6-4, 7-5 push at No. 4.

"I was excited at the fact that Michael Smith and Charlie Nettlefold were the guys who came through the best and played great tennis in the second match," Neufeld said. "I think both of them played their best matches of their lives."
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Mustangs will travel to Indian Wells, California for the BNP Paribas Open Collegiate Tennis Challenge by Oracle on March 16-18. Other teams in attendance include Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, Purdue, California Berkeley, USF, USC and Tulsa.
 
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