Kearney, Neb. – The Northwest Missouri State tennis teams rallied past Nebraska-Kearney,
7-2 (men) and
5-4 (women), Sunday evening at Harmon Park.
The 29th-ranked Loper men fall to 6-7 (0-3) while the regionally-ranked women drop back to the .500 mark (8-8, 4-3).
Ranked 18th in Division II and now 4-0 in MIAA duals this year, the NW men (12-3) trailed 2-1 after doubles. However, they won all six singles matches, four in straight sets.
At number one doubles, UNK seniors
Mohab El Zanaty (Egypt) and
Lucas Garces (Span) upset the Central Region's fifth ranked pair of Jorge Serrano and Mauro Tete, 8-5. It was the first time during the 2016-17 year El Zanaty and Garces were paired together. Two spots lower, junior
Joey Richards (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and sophomore
Pepe Balado (Spain) won 8-6, also their first win as a doubles team.
In singles, Richards suffered a three-set loss at the sixth spot in the order with sophomore
Alvaro Arias (Spain) having the same fate two spots higher. Finally, at number one and two singles, NW's nationally-ranked duo of Romain Boissinot (#39) and Sergi Fontcuberta (#41) won in straight sets.
The Loper women beat the 'Cats (5-9, 3-2) last year in Harmon, 6-3. Today, NW turned the tables as they rallied from 1-0 deficits at number five and singles six singles to post the dual win.
Juniors
Amanda Alvarez (Spain) and
Emma Neil (Papillion) slipped past Tess Loving and Margaux Jacquet, 9-8, at number three doubles to get UNK on the board. The Lopers suffered a pair of 8-6 setbacks in the other doubles matches.
In singles, Neil (No. 4) and Alvarez (No. 3) won in straight sets with freshman
Ana Royo (Spain) rallying from a 1-0 hole to win at number two. Northwest's number one player, Lorena Rivas Jarolim, rallied from a 1-0 hole to beat sophomore Sherry Sun (China).
The six-hour dual ended with three-set wins by Jacquet (No. 5) and Loving (No. 6). Both dropped their first sets by 6-1 scores but didn't allow more than four points in either of the final two sets.
Weather permitting, UNK will host Midland University Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m. This is the Lopers final home dual of the 2016-17 season.
