THE RUNDOWN
SILVER CITY, N.M. – Midwestern State is off to its best 16-match start in the last 17 seasons after a 5-2 dismantling of Western New Mexico on Saturday at the WNMU Tennis Courts. The No. 16-ranked Mustangs improve to 13-3 overall and 2-0 in Lone Star Conference Play.
 
The 13-3 start by the Maroon and Gold trails only the 1998 (14-2), 1999 (14-2), 2001 (16-0) and 2002 (14-2) squads.
 
MSU raced out to an early lead in doubles to grab a 1-0 advantage.
 
The eighth-ranked tandem of Ben Westwick and Alberto Diaz downed Liam Fraboulet and Joaquin Delpino, 6-1, at the No. 1 flight moments before the duo of Nolan McCaig and Dillon Pineda clinched the point with a 6-1 drubbing of Oscar Serra and Joel Okernahl at No. 2.
 
The Mustangs won four of the six first sets in singles before quickly closing out those matches to clinch the contest.
 
After 46th-ranked Fraboulet defeated Pineda, 6-1, 6-0, at the No. 1 flight, it was all MSU until the match was decided.
 
Sophomore and 72^nd-ranked Alex Martinez Roca trounced Delpino, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 2 to regain the lead for the Mustangs.
 
McCaig made quick work of Kernahl, 6-1, 6-2, at the No. 3 flight to push the lead to 3-1.
 
Westwick clinched the win, triumphing Barr, 6-3, 6-2, at the No. 5 line.
 
Diaz closed out the match, rolling Serra, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 4 to give the Mustangs the 5-2 finish.
 
BOX SCORE
#16 Midwestern State (13-3, 2-0 LSC) def. Western New Mexico (5-11, 0-3 LSC)
Sat. April 6, 2019 | 12 p.m.
Silver City, N.M.
WNMU Tennis Courts
 
Doubles
No. 1 – #8 Ben Westwick/Alberto Diaz (MSU) def. Liam Fraboulet/Joaquin Delpino (WNMU) 6-1
No. 2 – Nolan McCaig/Dillon Pineda (MSU) def. Oscar Serra/Joel Okernahl (WNMU) 6-1
No. 3 – Niko Barr/Tanaka Chabata (WNMU) def. Jean Muniz/Denney Norrie (MSU) 6-4
 
Singles
No. 1 – #46 Liam Fraboulet (WNMU) def. Dillon Pineda (MSU) 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 – #72 Alex Martinez Roca (MSU) def. Joaquin Delpino (WNMU) 6-0, 6-1
No. 3 – Nolan McCaig (MSU) def. Joel Okernahl (WNMU) 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 – Alberto Diaz (MSU) def. Oscar Serra (WNMU) 6-3, 6-1
No. 5 – Ben Westwick (MSU) def. Niko Barr (WNMU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 – Tanaka Chabata (WNMU) def. Denney Norrie (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1, 2, 3); Singles (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4)

UP NEXT
MSU Texas dives back into regional play next Friday when Dallas Baptist travels to the MSU Tennis Center. First serve against the Patriots is slated for 2 p.m.