CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Western Michigan men's tennis team staved off elimination and came back from a 3-1 deficit on the road on Saturday, winning three straight singles matches down the stretch to overcome the Xavier Musketeers for a 4-3 victory. With the win, the Broncos improve to 16-5 overall on the season.
Despite taking the doubles point against the Musketeers, the Broncos trailed Xavier 3-1 in the overall match after falling in each of the first three singles matches on the court. WMU did not falter, however, battling back for victories in marathon sessions in the Nos. 2 and 6 singles matches and a straight-sets win at No. 3.
Senior Pablo Mora clinched the team win with a win at No. 6 singles, beating Gabriel Chaves Araujo to seal the win. Mora eked out a first-set tiebreaker against Araujo, winning 7-6 (4), but then fell 6-2 in the second set to tie the match. With the team victory on the line, Mora held off Araujo for a 7-5 win in the third set to give the Broncos the victory.
The Broncos started the afternoon by winning the doubles session with the Musketeers, with the pairing of Matt Hamilton and Stephen Payne opening things up with a 6-2 win over Jeremy Schneider and Michael Moe in the No. 2 doubles match. Jefta Kecic and Jimmy Beckwith closed out the session and earned the crucial doubles point for the Broncos with a 7-6 (3) win over Araujo and Arthur Stefani in the No. 3 doubles match.
Xavier claimed the first three singles matches of the session, with Stefani beating Andrew Cahn in three sets to make it a 3-1 advantage for the Musketeers. Hamilton started the comeback in earnest with a straight-sets in over Matt Bishop in the No. 3 singles match, winning 7-6 (3), 6-4 to make it 3-2. Ruben Greiner tied the match up with a comeback victory over Schneider in the No. 2 singles match, coming back from a one-set deficit to win 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), and Mora closed out the match with the win over Araujo.
Singles
1. Zach Mueck (XU) def. Jefta Kecic (WMU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Ruben Greiner (WMU) def. Jeremy Schneider (XU) 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3)
3. Matt Hamilton (WMU) def. Matt Bishop (XU) 7-6 (3), 6-4
4. Arthur Stefani (XU) def. Andrew Cahn (WMU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
5. Michael Moe (XU) def. Jimmy Beckwith (WMU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
6. Pablo Mora (WMU) def. Gabriel Chaves Araujo (XU) 7-6 (4), 2-6, 7-5
Order of Finish: 1,5,4,3,2,6
Doubles
1. Zach Mueck/Matt Bishop (XU) def. Marc Shideler/Ruben Greiner (WMU) 6-4
2. Matt Hamilton/Stephen Payne (WMU) def. Jeremy Schneider/Michael Moe (XU) 6-2
3. Jefta Kecic/Jimmy Beckwith (WMU) def. Arthur Stefani/Gabriel Chaves Araujo XU 7-6 (3)
Order of Finish: 2,1,3
