TYLER, Texas -- Midwestern State faces a stern test early in the season as the Mustangs will play dual matches against three ranked opponents at Summers Tennis Center in the UT Tyler Invitational.

The action begins on Friday as Midwestern State tangles with No. 23-ranked West Alabama at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Mustangs meet No. 19-ranked Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.) at 2:30 p.m. The event wraps up on Sunday, and MSU battles No. 7-ranked West Florida at 1:30 p.m.

The Mustangs have opened the season with a 2-1 record following a 5-2 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State in Durant, Okla.

Philip Kamara is 3-0 in singles with two wins at No. 6 singles and a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Luke Tinnock of Southeastern Oklahoma State at No. 5 singles in his last match.

Stephen Slocombe and Killian Guillou have opened the campaign with 2-1 record in singles. Slocombe has played at No. 4 singles in all three duals, and Guillou is 1-1 at No. 2 singles with a three-set win over Thabo Ncube of Southeastern Oklahoma State at No. 3 singles.

Newcomer Justin Van Amerongen, a junior from the Netherlands, is 1-1 with two appearances at No. 5 singles for the Mustangs.

Bruno Sanchez, a freshman from Spain, won his debut and clinched the dual at No. 6 singles, defeating Luis Ching of Southeastern Oklahoma State in a three-set match.

Luis Diaz Argente is coming off his first win of the season. Diaz, No. 15 in the ITA singles rankings, dispatched Stipan Madzar in straight sets at No. 2 singles in Durant last week.

Germano Setti has played No. 1 singles in all three duals this season and lost to two ranked opponents. The sophomore from Brazil lost a three-set match to Juan Gonzalez at Southeastern Oklahoma State.

The Stangs won the doubles point against Southern Arkansas in their first dual of the season, but No. 23-ranked Ouachita Baptist and Southeastern Oklahoma State took the doubles point against MSU.

Slocombe and Diaz are 2-1 at No. 1 doubles, and the pairing of Juan David Duque and Marcal Miret Avante have gone 2-1 at No. 3 doubles. Setti and Guillou lost a tiebreak to Midzar and Ncube at Southeastern Oklahoma State and are 1-2 at No. 3 doubles.
 

West Alabama

The Tigers have not played a dual match since defeating Shorter in the Gulf South Conference opener, 7-0, on Feb. 16. West Alabama is 1-2 to start the spring campaign, and Lucas Hammond has played No. 1 singles in all three duals and is coming off his first singles victory. Wilson Igbinova is 2-1 at No. 2 singles for the Tigers. Hammond has played with Igbinovia and Eita Ishikawa at No. 1 doubles and won both sets. The Tigers are 2-1 at No. 3 doubles.
 

Auburn-Montgomery

The Warhawks have opened the campaign with a 4-2 record, including a 5-2 loss to No. 6-ranked Columbus State at the AUM Tennis Complex on Feb. 9. AUM is coming off a 4-3 loss to North Georgia in Dahlonega, Georgia, on Feb. 24. Joao Guariente is 3-1 at No. 1 singles for the Warhawks, and Giuseppe Bonaiuti is 4-2 at No. 2 singles this season. Adrian Contreras pulled out a three-set victory at No. 3 singles at North Georgia and improved to 4-1 this season. Bonaiuti and Alex Verdasco are 2-1 at No. 1 doubles. Contreras and Titouan Le Maout are 3-0 at No. 2 doubles.
 

West Florida

The Argonauts are coming off a 5-2 loss to Gulf South Conference rival Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi, on Wednesday. Sebastian Rondon, the reigning Gulf South Conference Player of the Week, is 3-1 at No. 3 singles for West Florida. Mateo Martinez is 3-1 at No. 4 Singles, Diego Duran, the reigning Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week, is 4-0 at No. 5 singles, and Albin Ekenros is 3-1 at No. 6 singles. The Argonauts are 4-7 in doubles. Sotelo and Rondon are 1-3 at No. 1 doubles, while Ekenros and Duran are 3-1 at No. 2 doubles. West Florida is winless at No. 3 doubles.

Midwestern State plays its first home dual match of the season at the MSU Tennis Center on March 8, when Nebraska-Kearney visits the Stang Gang.

--MSUMustangs.com--