SMU Tennis Beats Cal Poly

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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (SMU) – The SMU Mustangs men’s tennis team won its 15th game of the season in dramatic fashion on Friday, beating Cal Poly, 4-3, in a third-set tiebreaker at No. 5 singles.

SMU (15-2) and Cal Poly (9-6) were tied at 3-3 with only the No.5 singles match between sophomore Arkadijs Slobodkins and Cal Poly’s Lucas Lesoeur remaining undecided. The final set went to a tiebreaker, with Slobodkins taking it 7-6 (10-8).

Cal Poly led 3-2 in the match before junior Nate Lammons won at No. 4 singles over Naveen Beasley, 7-6 (3), 6-2, to knot the score at 3-3. Freshman Samm Butler picked up SMU’s other singles win, beating Corey Pang at the No. 3 position 6-3, 6-0. Cal Poly won singles matches at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 6.

SMU won the opening doubles point to take a 1-0 lead in the match. Butler and sophomore Tony Russell won at No. 3 over Lesoeur and Karl Enander, 6-2, and Lammons and Slobodkins won at No. 2 over Devin Barber and Garrett Auproux, 7-6 (3).

SMU’s 15-2 record is the program’s best through 17 matches since 2001, when the team ended the year 24-3, including an appearance in the NCAA semifinals.

SMU has taken the opening doubles point in all 14 matches this season in which doubles were played. Lammons and Slobodkins remained unbeaten this spring, with the duo sitting at 11-0 this season. Butler is now 15-1 in singles play, while Lammons (who entered the ITA singles rankings at No. 110 on Tuesday) improved to 12-2.

SMU is currently ranked 47th in the nation according to the ITA, while Cal Poly is ranked 54th.

SMU will return to the Hilltop to play Oklahoma State on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. CT at the SMU Tennis Complex.