Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Tennis Defeats New Mexico, Advances to Second Round of NCAAs
May 08, 2015 | Cowboy Tennis
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Oklahoma State's men's tennis team improved to 17-9 on the season after defeating the No. 38 New Mexico Lobos in the first round of the NCAA Championships, 4-0, on Friday afternoon at the Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas.
This is the second year in a row the Cowboys have advanced to the second round of the tournament. The last time the Cowboys won the first round match in back-to-back years was the 2007 and 2008 seasons.Â
"We played a solid match today," coach Jay Udwadia said. "New Mexico fought really hard and came out ready in singles. We just capitalized on some close sets and closed them out well. We are looking forward to competing and playing for a Sweet Sixteen berth tomorrow,"
The Pokes put up a strong performance on the day, picking up the doubles point and knocking out three singles matches to shut out the Lobos.
In doubles, Lukas Finzelberg and Jurence Mendoza teamed up at the No. 3 spot, where they tallied an 8-5 decision against New Mexico's McDaniels and Iftikhar duo. All-Americans and 24th-ranked Jakob Sude and Arjun Kadhe sealed the doubles point with an 8-7(5) win on court one over No. 75 Hayden Sabatka and Bart Van Leijsen. It was their sixth win over a ranked opponent this season.
The Cowboys entered singles with a 1-0 lead and never looked back.
Redshirt freshman Lukas Finzelberg was the first to wrap up his match, notching a straight-set 6-2, 6-2 win over Augustus Ge on court five and extending OSU's lead to 2-0.
Senior Jakob Sude, ranked No. 37 in the country, produced a 6-0 first-set win on court one against Hayden Sabatka. He finished off the match with a tight second set, edging the Lobo, 7-6(2).
Clinching the win for the Cowboys was sophomore Arjun Kadhe at the No. 3 spot. Kadhe faced Mitchell McDaniels, who he took to a first close set, winning 7-5. The Cowboy powered through the second set, 6-1, to claim the OSU victory and the squad's spot in the second round.
Action on courts two, four and six was not finished.
The Pokes will take on the winner of today's Texas A&M/Eastern Kentucky match on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT in the second-round match. The Cowboys are looking to earn their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2008.
No. 31 Oklahoma State 4, No. 38 New Mexico 0
May 8, 2015 :: College Station, Texas (Mitchell Tennis Center)
Doubles | Order of finish 3,1
1. #24 Sude/ Kadhe (OKST) def. #75 Sabatka /Van Leijsen (NM) 8-7 (7-5)
2. Ferrigno/ Gerch (OKST) vs. Hignett /Ge (NM) 4-3, unfinished
3. Finzelberg/ Mendoza (OKST) def. Mcdaniels/Iftikhar (NM) 8-5
Singles | Order of finish: 5,1,3
1. #37 Jakob Sude (OKST) def. Hayden Sabatka (NM) 6-0, 7-6 (7-2)
2. #115 Lucas Gerch (OKST) vs. #89 Samir Iftikhar (NM) 2-6, 6-3, 1-0, unfinished
3. #122 Arjun Kadhe (OKST) def. Mitchell McDaniels (NM) 7-5, 6-1
4. Tristan Meraut (OKST) vs. Bart Van Leijsen (NM) 2-6, 6-3, 1-1, unfinished
5. Lukas Finzelberg (OKST) def. Augustus Ge (NM) 6-2, 6-2
6. Nicolai Ferrigno (OKST) vs. Jorge Escutia (NM) 3-6, 6-0, 3-3, unfinished
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This is the second year in a row the Cowboys have advanced to the second round of the tournament. The last time the Cowboys won the first round match in back-to-back years was the 2007 and 2008 seasons.Â
"We played a solid match today," coach Jay Udwadia said. "New Mexico fought really hard and came out ready in singles. We just capitalized on some close sets and closed them out well. We are looking forward to competing and playing for a Sweet Sixteen berth tomorrow,"
The Pokes put up a strong performance on the day, picking up the doubles point and knocking out three singles matches to shut out the Lobos.
In doubles, Lukas Finzelberg and Jurence Mendoza teamed up at the No. 3 spot, where they tallied an 8-5 decision against New Mexico's McDaniels and Iftikhar duo. All-Americans and 24th-ranked Jakob Sude and Arjun Kadhe sealed the doubles point with an 8-7(5) win on court one over No. 75 Hayden Sabatka and Bart Van Leijsen. It was their sixth win over a ranked opponent this season.
The Cowboys entered singles with a 1-0 lead and never looked back.
Redshirt freshman Lukas Finzelberg was the first to wrap up his match, notching a straight-set 6-2, 6-2 win over Augustus Ge on court five and extending OSU's lead to 2-0.
Senior Jakob Sude, ranked No. 37 in the country, produced a 6-0 first-set win on court one against Hayden Sabatka. He finished off the match with a tight second set, edging the Lobo, 7-6(2).
Clinching the win for the Cowboys was sophomore Arjun Kadhe at the No. 3 spot. Kadhe faced Mitchell McDaniels, who he took to a first close set, winning 7-5. The Cowboy powered through the second set, 6-1, to claim the OSU victory and the squad's spot in the second round.
Action on courts two, four and six was not finished.
The Pokes will take on the winner of today's Texas A&M/Eastern Kentucky match on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT in the second-round match. The Cowboys are looking to earn their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2008.
No. 31 Oklahoma State 4, No. 38 New Mexico 0
May 8, 2015 :: College Station, Texas (Mitchell Tennis Center)
Doubles | Order of finish 3,1
1. #24 Sude/ Kadhe (OKST) def. #75 Sabatka /Van Leijsen (NM) 8-7 (7-5)
2. Ferrigno/ Gerch (OKST) vs. Hignett /Ge (NM) 4-3, unfinished
3. Finzelberg/ Mendoza (OKST) def. Mcdaniels/Iftikhar (NM) 8-5
Singles | Order of finish: 5,1,3
1. #37 Jakob Sude (OKST) def. Hayden Sabatka (NM) 6-0, 7-6 (7-2)
2. #115 Lucas Gerch (OKST) vs. #89 Samir Iftikhar (NM) 2-6, 6-3, 1-0, unfinished
3. #122 Arjun Kadhe (OKST) def. Mitchell McDaniels (NM) 7-5, 6-1
4. Tristan Meraut (OKST) vs. Bart Van Leijsen (NM) 2-6, 6-3, 1-1, unfinished
5. Lukas Finzelberg (OKST) def. Augustus Ge (NM) 6-2, 6-2
6. Nicolai Ferrigno (OKST) vs. Jorge Escutia (NM) 3-6, 6-0, 3-3, unfinished
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