New Mexico Blanks Air Force In First Round Of MWC Men's Tennis Championship

The Lobos will face second seed BYU Friday in one of two semifinals.

New Mexico's Divan Coetzee defeated Air Force's Eric Pittman at No. 1 singles.
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April 25, 2002

LAS VEGAS - Third-seeded New Mexico did not lose a set en route to a 4-0 victory over sixth seed Air Force in the opening round of the Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Championship at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Thursday.

The Lobos, ranked 63rd, improved to 16-8 overall and 4-2 against league opponents while the Falcons fell to 14-10 and 0-6.

Basked in sunshine, UNM began the day by taking the first two completed doubles matches to claim one team point.

In singles play, John Kowalski struck first, winning 6-2, 6-1 over Tyler McClung at the fifth spot. Ryan Stotland soon downed Phil Yim 6-2, 6-3 at the sixth position and then Divan Coetzee clinched the team victory, 6-4, 6-0 over Eric Pittman on court one.

UNM was also leading on all three remaining matches, which were halted.

"I thought we did a good job today," Lobo head coach Alan Dils said. "We knew what we needed to do to advance in this tournament and went out and did it. We were winning up and down the line so it was a successful day on a great day for tennis."

The Lobos will face second seed BYU Friday in one of two semifinals. The 70th-ranked Cougars enjoyed a first-round bye. The final is set for Saturday.

Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Championship
(3) NEW MEXICO 4, (6) AIR FORCE 0
First Round
At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas

SINGLES - (UNM Wins Three Team Points)
1. Divan Coetzee (UNM) def. Eric Pittman (AFA)        6-4, 6-0
2. Bart Scott (UNM) vs. Kyle Rainey (AFA)             Did not finish
3. Michael Polasek (UNM) vs. Chris Zielinski (AFA)    Did not finish
4. David Kowalski (UNM) vs. Justin Mancinelli (AFA)   Did not finish
5. John Kowalski (UNM) def. Tyler McClung (AFA)       6-2, 6-1
6. Ryan Stotland (UNM) def. Phil Yim (AFA)            6-2, 6-3

DOUBLES -- (UNM Wins One Team Point)
1. Scott/Polasek (UNM) vs. C. Zielinski/G. Zielinksi (AFA)   Did not finish
2. Stotland/Brent Salazar (UNM) def. Pittman/McClung (AFA)   8-5
3. Coetzee/D. Kowalski (UNM) def. Rainey/Mancinelli (AFA)    8-4