SMU Tennis Sweeps Doubleheader

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DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU Mustangs continued their impressive start to the 2015 season, beating both Nebraska and Ouachita Baptist on Saturday at the Ann and Brad Family Pavilion at the SMU Tennis Complex. SMU is now 9-1 on the season.

SMU began the day with a 2 p.m. meeting with Nebraska, who most recently had beaten No. 64 Denver on the road. The Mustangs got out to a hot start, winning the doubles point quickly with wins on courts 1 and 2. Junior Nate Lammons and sophomore Arkadijs Slobodkins won 6-2 over Nebraska’s Linus Erhart and Scott Elsass, followed by another 6-2 win at No. 1 by senior Arturs Kazijevs and sophomore Markus Kerner against Dusty Boyer and Bradford Zitsch.

In singles play, Slobodkins got the scoring going for SMU with a 7-6 (0), 6-2 victory over Chris Hobgarski at the No. 5 spot. Lammons would give SMU a 3-0 lead with a 6-1, 7-6 (1) victory at No. 4 singles, giving him a 6-1 record this spring. Kazijevs would get the match-clinching point for the Mustangs, earning a 6-4, 6-4 victory over

Boyer, who was named First Team All-Big Ten last season. Freshman Samm Butler also grabbed a singles win, going three sets for the victory over Erhart; 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

The Mustangs had a brief break before hosting three-time defending Great American Conference champion Ouachita Baptist in the evening. The two sides only played singles, with SMU sweeping all six matches en route to a 6-0 victory. Freshman Charles Nettlefold got the first point of the math with a 6-1, 6-2 decision at No. 6 singles. Slobodkins promptly followed with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 5, and then Butler tallied a 6-1, 6-2 victory at the No. 3 spot. Sophomore Julio Olaya entered the lineup against the Tigers, winning 7-6 (4), 6-3 at No. 4. Kerner bounced back after a loss earlier in the day to win 6-4, 6-3 over Vitor Oliveira at the No. 2 position, and Kazijevs won a tight three-set match at No. 1 singles over Marco Boskovic; 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Slobodkins has now won eight matches dating back to Jan. 25, all in straight sets. Slobodkins and Lammons have teamed up to go unbeaten in six straight doubles matches, while Butler is unblemished in his last five singles matches. SMU has also not lost an opening doubles point this season.

SMU will play its first road match at Arkansas on Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. CT. The Mustangs will return home for a match against Eastern Washington on Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. CT.

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