New Mexico Defeats TCU to Capture Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Championship

April 25, 2009

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -

The University of New Mexico defeated TCU, 4-3, to win the 2009 Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Tournament Championship and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament Saturday at the Jerry Cline Tennis Center. It was the second year in a row that the two teams met in the tournament finals. For the Lobos, it is their third Mountain West Conference title and first since 2004.

It came down to the No. 3 singles match as the deciding contest for the second year in a row. This time the decision went in favor of New Mexico. Miles Bugby defeated Kriegler Brink, 6-7 (1-7), 6-2, 7-6 (7-0) to clinch the team win.

TCU took the first lead of the match by winning the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. Christopher Price and Zach Nichols beat Ben Dunbar and Carl Ho, 8-5, at No. 3, followed by Slah Mbarek and Kriegler Brink's win over Johnny Parkes and Miles Bugby, 9-7, at No. 1.

Ho tied the match at 1-1 with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Casey Powers at No. 6 singles. Price put the Horned Frogs back in the lead, 2-1, with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Phil Anderson at No. 5 singles, as the teams would trade leads through the whole match.

Graeme Kassautzki put the match tied at 2-2 with a No. 2 singles 7-5, 6-3 win over Emanuel Brighiu.

TCU took the lead for the last time, 3-2, when Zach Nichols won at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 over Dunbar.

Parkes, the MWC Player of the Year, tied the match for a third time, 3-3, when he beat Mbarek, 5-7, 6-4, 6-0 at No. 1 singles.

The Lobos earn the league's automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship. The rest of the 64-team field will be announced live on ESPNEWS Tuesday, April 28, at approximately 3:20 p.m. MT.

Tennis Match Results
#2 New Mexico vs #1 TCU
April 25, 2009 at Albuquerque, N.M.
(Jerry Cline Tennis Center)
#43 #2 New Mexico 4, #38 #1 TCU 3

Singles competition
1. #79 Johnny Parkes (NM) def. #84 Slah Mbarek (TCU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-0
2. Graeme Kassautzki (NM) def. #114 Emanuel Brighiu (TCU) 7-5, 6-3
3. Miles Bugby (NM) def. #72 Kriegler Brink (TCU) 6-7 (1-7), 6-2, 7-6 (7-0)
4. Zach Nichols (TCU) def. Ben Dunbar (NM) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
5. Christopher Price (TCU) def. Phil Anderson (NM) 6-2, 6-2
6. Carl Ho (NM) def. Casey Powers (TCU) 6-1, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. #40 Slah Mbarek/Kriegler Brink (TCU) def. Johnny Parkes/Miles Bugby (NM) 9-7
2. #29 Emanuel Brighiu/Adrian Simon (TCU) vs. Graeme Kassautzki/Joe Wood (NM) 8-8, unfinished
3. Christopher Price/Zach Nichols (TCU) def. Ben Dunbar/Carl Ho (NM) 8-5

Match Notes:
#2 New Mexico 20-5, 4-2 MWC; National ranking #43
#1 TCU 12-11, 5-1 MWC; National ranking #38
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (6,5,2,4,1,3)
2009 Mountain West Conference Championship Match
New Mexico wins its third MWC tournament title, first since 2004
New Mexico earns the MWC automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament
T-4:20