TEXAS-ARLINGTON FALLS TO TEXAS A&M, 4-0, IN NCAA FIRST ROUND

May 12, 2006

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas-Arlington men's tennis team fell to #16th-seed Texas A&M, 4-0, Friday evening in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.

In doubles action, TAMU's Matt Bain and John Nallon jumped out to an early 5-1 lead on Texas-Arlington junior Daniel Omana and sophomore Alberto Agis at the number three position. The Mavericks (13-7) would rebound to win the next three games to cut the lead to 5-4, but the Aggies (16-10) swept the last three games to win the match, 8-4.

Senior Niels Buksik and sophomore Diego Mattar took on A&M's Marcus Lunt and Bryan Wooten at the number two position. Both teams matched each other's serve for the first eight games to knot the score, 4-4. But, the Aggies then took control winning the next four games to take the match, 8-4. The victory clinched the doubles point for the Aggies.

The number one doubles match, featuring Jerry Makowski and Brett Joleson of Texas A&M against senior Sandy Faruharson and junior Javier Herrera, went back and forth. Neither team was able to gain advantage and it ended unfinished at 7-6.

"I was pleased with the way we started off in doubles," interim head coach Diego Benitez said. "The guys were not intimidated by their crowd and played with a lot of intensity."

In singles play, Senior Ian Vazquez won the opening game of the first set at the number five position, but then dropped six straight games to lose the set to Mohammed Dakki, 6-1. Dakki made quick work of Vazquez in the second set to win, 6-0, and put the Aggies up, 2-0, in the match.

Buksik had his serve broken twice in the first set and dropped it, 6-3, to Nallon at the number six positon. Nallon then took the second set by an identical 6-3 score to win the match, and put the Aggies ahead, 3-0.

A&M's Joleson took the first set from Agis, 6-1. After the two spilt the first six games of the second set, 3-3, Joleson won three straight games to win the set and the match, 6-3. The victory clinched the overall match for Texas A&M, 4-0.

At the number one position, Farquharson had a tall order, facing the #12th-ranked Makowski. After falling behind, 3-1, the London, England native, won three straight games to pull ahead, 4-3. Makowski responded, winning three-straight games to win the first set, 6-4. The two players stayed on serve in the second set and it was halted at 2-1, with Farquharson with the advantage.

Omana had it rolling at the number three position, taking six of the last seven games to win the first set, 6-2 over Bain, but Bain rebounded to win the second set, 6-2. The match reached 2-1, in favor of Omana, before being halted.

"Danny had the right strategy and stuck with it," Benetiz said. "If we could have had a couple of results go our way early, the momentum might have changed."

Mattar took on Wooten at the number two position. Early in the first set, each player broke each other's serve and left the score knotted, 3-3. The two players split the next four games, but Wooten took the last two games to win the first set, 7-5. The second set never got started before the overall match was clinched.

"We have accomplished all of our goals that we set in the fall," Benitez said. "Looking back, all the hard work paid off. We now have to set the bar even higher next season."

Texas-Arlington ends its season with a record of 13-7. Their appearance in the NCAA Tournament was its third in school history.

Tennis Match Results Texas-Arlington vs Texas A&M May 12, 2006 at College Station, Texas

#19 Texas A&M 4, Texas-Arlington 0

Singles competition 1. #12 Jerry Makowski (TAMUM) vs. #97 Sandy Farquharson (UTAM) 6-4, 1-2, unfinished 2. Bryan Wooten (TAMUM) vs. Diego Mattar (UTAM) 7-5, unfinished 3. Matt Bain (TAMUM) vs. Daniel Omana (UTAM) 2-6, 6-2, 1-2, unfinished 4. Brett Joleson (TAMUM) def. Alberto Agis (UTAM) 6-1, 6-3 5. Mohamed Dakki (TAMUM) def. Ian Vazquez (UTAM) 6-1, 6-0 6. John Nallon (TAMUM) def. Neils Buksik (UTAM) 6-3, 6-3

Doubles competition 1. Jerry Makowski/Brett Joleson (TAMUM) vs. Sandy Farquharson/Javier Herrera (UTAM) 7-6, unfinished 2. Marcus Lunt/Bryan Wooten (TAMUM) def. Neils Buksik/Diego Mattar (UTAM) 8-4 3. Matt Bain/John Nallon (TAMUM) def. Alberto Agis/Daniel Omana (UTAM) 8-4

Match Notes: Texas-Arlington 13-7 Texas A&M 16-10; National ranking #19 First round of the NCAA Championship T-2:45