TCU Captures MWC Men's Tennis Championship

Frogs defeat New Mexico to earn league's automatic bid to NCAA

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April 26, 2008

• 2008 MWC Tennis Championship Central

FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU Horned Frogs rallied to defeat the New Mexico Lobos by a score of 4-3 on Saturday to capture the 2008 Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Championship at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. The Horned Frogs (20-7) notched their 20th win of the year, while the Lobos slipped to 20-8.

The Frogs kicked off the match with two dominating doubles victories to jump out to a 1-0 lead. The TCU duo of Zach Nichols and Jack Seider led off with an 8-3 win over Graeme Kassautzki and Joe Wood at the No. 3 position, while Cosmin Cotet and Adrian Simon clinched the point with an 8-2 defeat of Chris and Johnny Parkes at the No. 2 slot.

New Mexico jumped out to a strong start in singles, winning matches at the No. 2, 4 and 5 positions to take a 3-1 lead.

Miles Bugby put the Lobos on the board with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Zach Nichols, while Chris Parkes followed with a 6-4, 6-1 defeat of Simon at the No. 5 position. Johnny Parkes put New Mexico up 3-1 over the Frogs after defeating Emanu Brighiu by a score of 7-6(6), 6-4 at the No. 2 slot.

Casey Powers began the TCU rally with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Kamil Pajkowksi at the No. 6 position, bringing the Frogs within one at 3-2.

Cotet, ranked No. 36 nationally, continued the Frogs' comeback with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over No. 69 Jones at the top spot to even the match at 3-3.

With the tournament title on the line, TCU's Brink delivered with a 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Kassautzki to seal the match.

With the victory, the Frogs earned the Mountain West's automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Men's Championships, which begin May 9.

No. 1 TCU (20-7) def. No. 2 New Mexico (20-8), 4-3

SINGLES

1. No. 36 Cosmin Cotet (TCU) def. No. 69 Max Jones (UNM) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
2. Johnny Parkes (UNM) def. Emanu Brighiu (TCU) 7-6(6), 6-4
3. Kriegler Brink (TCU) def. Graeme Kassautzki (UNM) 5-7, 7-5, 6-4
4. Miles Bugby (UNM) def. Zach Nichols (TCU) 6-0, 7-5
5. Chris Parkes (UNM) def. Adrian Simon (TCU) 6-4, 6-1
6. Casey Powers (TCU) def. Kamil Pajkowski (UNM) 6-4, 6-4

Order of Finish: 4, 5, 2, 6, 1, 3*

DOUBLES

1. Brink/Brigui (TCU) vs. Jones/Pajkowski (UNM) 6-5, unf.
2. Cotet/Simon (TCU) def. Parkes/Parkes (UNM) 8-2
3. Nichols/Seider (TCU) def. Kassautzki/Wood (UNM) 8-3

Order of Finish: 3, 2*

*Clinching point