WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State is coming off back-to-back losses to UT Tyler and Cameron as it welcomes Arkansas-Fort Smith to MSU Tennis for the final dual match before the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament. The Mustangs hope to solidify the No. 3 seed with a victory over the Lions.
Midwestern State fell to 12-9 overall and 5-2 in the LSC with a 5-2 loss to Cameron on Thursday. The Mustangs are 6-3 at home this season.
The Mustangs lead the all-time series, 13-0, and only allowed the Lions to score more than one point in a dual once in the last eight meetings. Last year, MSU routed UAFS, 6-1, as MSU won all six singles matches after dropping the doubles point.
Luis Diaz Argente, a 6-1 senior from Madrid, Spain, is ranked No. 54 in Division II but had a four-match winning streak in singles halted by No.13-ranked Joaquin Bianchi of UT Tyler on Tuesday, and two days later Diaz fell to No.35-ranked Tomas Almieda of Cameron, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6.
Diaz, who has made 16 appearances in the No. 1 position, is 10-10 in singles matches overall this season and 4-3 against conference opponents.
Charles Heffernan is 5-2 in conference matches this season following losses to No. 6-ranked Gonzalo Fernandez of UT Tyler and Thomas Cardona of Cameron in the No. 2 position. The 6-1 senior from Australia is 9-10 in singles, but five of his losses have come to nationally ranked opponents.
Marcal Miret Avante has won seven of his last nine singles matches and is coming off a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Baptiste Mercier of Cameron at No. 3 singles. Miret, a sophomore from Barcelona, Spain, is 13-7 overall in singles this season and 5-2 when facing LSC foes.
Killian Guillou is coming off his first loss of the season. The 5-8 freshman from Paris, France, was victorious in the first 11 matches he completed this year but suffered a 1-6, 2-6 loss to Kritian Kubik of Cameron and fell to 5-1 in the No. 4 slot. Guillou is 6-1 against conference opponents.
Germano Setti has reeled off six-straight victories and is undefeated in seven singles matches against LSC counterparts. The 5-10 freshman from Brazil has won his last four matches in straight sets, including a 7-5, 6-3 win over Joao Duleba of Cameron on Thursday. Miret needed three sets to defeat Jaun Rosello of UAFS at No. 4 singles last season.
Midwestern State is 11-3 in the No. 6 position, led by Guillou,
Stephen Slocombe and
Philip Kamara, who dropped a 5-7, 2-6 decision to Alvaro Chavez of Cameron on Thursday. All three losses at No. 6 singles have come in conference duals. Slocombe lost three-set matches at Lubbock Christian and UT Tyler.
Midwestern State is 14-7 in doubles against LSC opposition. Heffernan and Guillou are 5-2 in LSC matches, and the pairing of Setti and Miret has also won five of seven matches.
UAFS is coming off a 6-1 loss at Lubbock Christian on Friday and is 3-4 in conference play this season. The Lions are 5-10 overall with a 2-4 road record.
Â
-- MSUMustangs.com --