SMU’s Robin Fahgen prepares to return the ball. (Sarah Acosta)

For the second year in a row, the No. 48 SMU men’s tennis team fell in the semifinal round of the C-USA Championship tournament. The Mustangs lost to No. 30 Rice 4-3 in a rematch of an upset earlier in the season.

In the last regular match of the 2007 season, SMU beat Rice 4-3, who was ranked considerably higher in ITA rankings. The Owls got their revenge by ending the Mustangs’ run in the tournament. Rice went on to lose to Tulsa 4-0 in the championship match.

Before meeting the Owls in the semifinals, SMU kicked off their C-USA tournament appearance with a 4-0 win over Southern Mississippi University. The Golden Eagles earned a No. 6 seed in the conference tournament and were only able to take one individual win from the Mustangs at No. 3 doubles.

After downing Southern Mississippi in their first round, the Mustangs faced in-state rival Rice.

At No. 1 singles, No. 79 Alex Skrypko defeated No. 36 Ben Harknett 7-5, 6-2. Skrypko and partner Federico Murgier were, however, unable to overturn the No. 53 doubles team of Ralph Knupfer and Tobias Scheil at the No. 1 position.

David Kuczer upset No. 120 Knupfer at No. 2 singles, 6-4, 6-1. The junior had previously lost to Knupfer when the Mustangs played the Owls to close the regular season.

Both Oivind Alver and Murgier were unable to take wins at No. 3 and No. 4 singles, respectively. Each Mustang lost to the same player he lost to earlier in the season. Alver fell 7-5, 7-5 to Christoph Muller while Muriger dropped a 6-4, 6-4 decision to Scheil.

Freshman Robin Faghen once again defeated Rice’s Jason Mok. At No. 4 singles, Faghen won 6-3, 6-2.

Junior Adolfo Solares was unable to play the hero for a second time in a row as he lost in three sets at No. 6 singles. Rice’s Filip Zivojinovic closed the match 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, simultaneously clinching the match for the Owls.

Rice’s fourth point came from winning both the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles matches.

The announcement of the NCAA Championship bracket on May 1 is next on the Mustangs’ agenda.