SMU will look to rebound against VCU. (Sarah Acosta)
The No. 39 SMU men’s tennis team fell to No. 5 Baylor in an afternoon match at the Bent Tree Country Club on Wednesday. The Mustangs hosted the match, handing the Bears their ninth consecutive win in the series between the two squads. The loss puts SMU at 4-4 this season and Baylor at 9-2.
Baylor shut out SMU 7-0, with the closest scoring match at No. 3 singles between SMU’s Federico Murgier and Baylor’s Matt Brown. Murgier fought until the bitter end but was unable to top the sophomore from England. Brown took the match at 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8).
Junior David Kuczer also went to three sets with his opponent in the No. 2 singles match. Poerschke, ranked No. 28 nationally, forced Kuczer to step up his game.
“David played the best tennis he’s played at SMU today,” said head coach Carl Neufeld.
Despite the loss, Neufeld said matches like Kuczer and Murgier’s make him “excited about the singles” lineup. Kuczer fell to Poerschke 3-6, 6-4, 2-6.
Injury, illness and extended time off the court caught up with No. 1 singles player Alex Skrypko as he fell to Baylor’s Michal Kokta. No. 25 in ITA rankings, Kokta defeated Skyrpko 6-3, 6-0.
“Alex played tired today,” said Neufeld. He also commented that Baylor played exceptionally well, especially in doubles.
“Baylor was very, very good,” he said. “But I was disappointed we didn’t play better doubles.”
At No. 1 doubles, Skrpko and Murgier were unable to top Matija Zgaga and David Galic. Baylor ended the match 8-3. Oivind Alver and Robin Faghen didn’t fare much better at No. 2. The Mustangs fell to Poerschke and Denes Lukacs 5-8. At No. 3, Kuczer and partner Chris Hooshyar lost to Kokta and Dominik Mueller 5-8.
SMU freshman Robin Faghen served for the first set in the No. 5 singles match, but was unable to top Mueller of Baylor. Faghen fell 7-6, 6-3. His doubles partner didn’t fair much better, losing to Zgaga at No. 4. (No. 100 nationally,) Zgaga beat Alver in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3.
Redshirt freshman Hooshyar rounded out the singles lineup for the Mustangs, taking a loss from Lukacs 7-6, 6-3.
Though disappointing, the loss was not in vain according to Neufeld.
“Baylor has been the best team in tennis for the last four years and they play with the confidence that they are [the best],” he said. “After the match we discussed every match thoroughly. The guys feel like they can best those guys. Now all we can do is try to build on that tomorrow at practice.”
The men’s tennis team doesn’t have much down time. They host Virginia Commonwealth University on Sun. March 4 before heading across town to face school rival TCU Wed. March 7 in Ft. Worth.
