SMU Tennis Beats Rice

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HOUSTON (SMU) – Freshman Nate Lammons provided a clutch performance, winning his singles match at the No. 6 position in three sets 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 to give SMU a 4-3 win over 72nd-ranked Rice in Houston on Sunday afternoon.

The Mustangs improve to 10-9 on the season, while Rice falls to 9-13.

SMU continued its strong play in doubles, winning in both the first and second positions. Arturs Kazijevs and Mischa Nowickiwon 8-6 (7-5) to improve their record to 12-4, while Gaston Cuadranti and partner Alex Sanders won their match 8-4.

Kazijevs then gave SMU a 2-0 lead with his quick 6-4, 6-3 victory over Jonathan Chang. Kazijevs is now 13-5 on the season and 9-1 in his last 10 decisions. Rice responded promptly with two singles wins of their own to knot the match at 2-2.

Cuadranti gave SMU a 3-2 lead with a two-set victory over Adam Gustafsson, 7-5, 6-1. The Owls then returned the favor, as Philipp Seifert beat Nowicki 3-6, 6-4, 6-0. Nowicki had won his last six decisions entering Sunday.

Lammons and Gustavo Gonzalez traded sets before Lammons won the third and decisive frame 6-3.

The win gives the Mustangs their third against a ranked team this season. SMU took down No. 70 Tulane on March 3 and No. 61 Idaho on March 31.

SMU will now turn its focus to the Conference USA Championships, which start Thursday in Memphis, Tenn.