NEW ORLEANS – Playing the top team in NAIA proved to be difficult for the New Orleans men's tennis team, which fell 6-1 to Auburn Montgomery on Sunday afternoon at the University Tennis Center.
The win was the fifth in a row for an AUM (14-3) squad which also defeated Xavier (La.) on Saturday during its two-match swing through the Crescent City.
Abdelrahman Zaki was the lone winner on the day for UNO (9-9), rallying from a 6-0 defeat in the first set to top Bence Toth 0-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 3 position.
Zaki has won a pair of singles' matches this week and with Sunday's result becomes the first member of the roster with 10 singles' victories during the dual campaign.
The only other UNO tennis player to gain a set against the Warhawks was
Lovro Curcija. Curcija took the first set against Josh Reason in a 2-6, 6-1, 6-0 defeat on the No. 5 court.
Three of AUM's four remaining singles' victories came from their nationally-ranked players, including No. 2 Nicholas Pinones-Halftenhoff, No. 6 Tim Hewitt and No. 14 Othmane Lalami. The Warhawks won the doubles' point with wins at the No. 1 and No.3 positions, respectively.
UNO will now turn its attention to three remaining matches before the end-of-season Southland Conference tournament. The Privateers will visit West Florida on Apr. 12 before facing future Southland foe Abilene Christian at UWF on Apr. 14. The final home dual of the season is slated for Apr. 18 at 11 a.m. against Jackson State.
Auburn Montgomery Men 6, New Orleans 1
4/7/2013 at New Orleans, La. (University Tennis Ctr)
Singles competition
1. Nicolas Pinones (AUM) def.
Ricardo Campos (UNO) 7-5, 6-3
2. Tim Hewitt (AUM) def.
Rui Silva (UNO) 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)
3.
Abdelrahman Zaki (UNO) def. Bence Toth (AUM) 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Miguel Grifol (AUM) def.
Hossam Meligy (UNO) 6-4, 6-3
5. Josh Reason (AUM) def.
Lovro Curcija (UNO) 2-6, 6-1, 6-0
6. Othmane Lalami (AUM) def.
Dominik Kardell (UNO) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Tim Hewitt/Bence Toth (AUM) def.
Hossam Meligy/
Ricardo Campos (UNO) 8-3
2.
Rui Silva/
Abdelrahman Zaki (UNO) vs. Nicolas Pinones/Othmane Lalami (AUM) 2-7, unfinished
3. Miguel Grifol/Josh Reason (AUM) def.
Lovro Curcija/
Dominik Kardell (UNO) 8-1
