The No. 56 SMU men’s tennis team won its third match in a row on Saturday, taming the defending Ivy League Champion Columbia Lions, 6-1, at Dallas’ Bent Tree Country Club.

The Mustangs avenged last season’s loss to the Lions and did it without Robin Fahgen, who normally plays No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles, and Adham el-Effendi, who has competed in No. 2 doubles.

The timetable for Fahgen’s and el-Effendi’s returns is uncertain.

SMU (13-6), which upset No. 32 California on March 15, will try for its second straight victory over a ranked team on Thursday when it faces No. 16 Baylor in Waco.

SMU’s doubles teams, which were a weakness at the start of the season, have become a strength. It was evident on Saturday, as the Mustangs won all three matches despite the lineup being shuffled because of the injuries.

David Kuczer moved up from No. 2 to the No. 1 slot, teaming with Darren Walsh, who normally doesn’t compete in doubles. The inexperience didn’t show, as the pair went back and forth with Justin Chow and Bogdan Borta, eventually prevailing 7-6 when the match was called.

Alex Skrypko, who normally teams with Fahgen at No. 1, shuffled down to No. 2 with Adolfo Solares. The duo soundly defeated Jonathan Wong and Mark Clemente, 8-1.

Oivind Alver and Chris Hooshyar remained in the No. 3 slot, beating Jared Drucker and Dan Urban, 8-5, for their third victory in four matches.

The Mustangs were equally as impressive in singles competitions.

Kuczer captured a 6-3, 7-6 victory over Wong in the No. 1 spot, making it five straight victories since moving to No. 1 on March 9.

Skrypko moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 and swept Borta in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0. Alver followed with an easy 6-2, 6-3 victory over Clemente in the No. 3 match.

Hooshyar and Solares, competing in the Nos. 5 and 6 slots respectively, escaped with three-set victories over their opponents.

Taylor St. Eve, who has seen action in a handful of matches this season, narrowly lost to Kevin Kung at No. 6, giving Columbia its only point of the day.