FORT SMITH, Arkansas -- No. 14-ranked Midwestern State travels to Arkansas-Fort Smith for a dual match on Saturday afternoon. The Mustangs look to remain undefeated in the Lone Star Conference and extend their winning streak. The action at Ben Geren Park begins at 4 p.m.
Midwestern State has a seven-dual winning streak and has improved its overall record to 11-7 while going 6-0 in in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs are coming off an impressive 5-2 win over then No. 19-ranked UT Tyler in the final home dual of the regular season.
The Mustangs have claimed the doubles point in 12 of their dual matches this season and taken the first point in all six conference duals.
Luis Diaz Argente and
Stephen Slocombe, ranked No. 3 in the nation as a doubles team, are 11-4 at No. 1 doubles for the Mustangs. MSU is 16-2 in its last 18 doubles matches and 30-18 for the season.
Diaz, ranked No. 35 in the nation among NCAA Division II singles players, is the reigning Lone Star Conference Player of the Week. Diaz has won six of his last seven singles matches, including a 6-3, 6-2 win over Joaquin Bianchi of UT Tyler, who was ranked No. 15 in the nation. The senior from Madrid, Spain, is 9-6 in singles overall and 6-4 in the No. 1 position for the Mustangs. Diaz is 3-2 against nationally ranked opponents this season.
Slocombe has won seven of his last eight singles matches, outlasting Daniil Felker of UT Tyler, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Slocombe is 10-6 overall in singles with a 4-3 record at No. 3 singles.
Germano Setti had a six-match winning streak snapped with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-7 (3) loss to 62nd-ranked Egor Shestakov of UT Tyler. Setti, ranked No. 62 in the nation, is 7-3 in the No. 2 spot this season and 9-9 overall in singles.
Setti has teamed up with
Killian Guillou at No. 2 doubles to win six consecutive matches for the Mustangs, including a 6-2 win over Bianchi and Carl Wessel of UT Tyler. The tandem is 6-0 in conference play and 10-6 overall this season.
Philip Kamara posted back-to-back wins for the Mustangs last week, defeating Alec Rule of Dallas Baptist, 6-2, 6-3, and Jordi Garcia Powell of UT Tyler, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. The sophomore from Romania is 10-5 overall in singles matches this season.
Charles Heffernan improved to 3-0 in his return to dual match action with a 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7) victory over Yudai Watanabe of UT Tyler at No. 6 singles on Saturday. Heffernan won his first two matches in straight sets.
Arkansas-Fort Smith is 3-10 overall this season with a 2-4 record against LSC opponents. The Lions are 1-3 at home, defeating Western New Mexico, 7-0, at Ben Geren Park on March 28. UAFS has lost four of its last five dual matches, earning a 5-2 victory at Dallas Baptist on April 5.
Midwestern State is 14-0 all-time against UAFS, only conceding 10 dual-match points in the series. Last year, MSU won all six singles matches with Diaz, Heffernan, Germano, Guillou and Slocombe all in the lineup for the Mustangs, who were swept in doubles. Diaz clinched the dual-match victory with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over Anis Ramchane at No. 1 singles.
Ramchane is 5-8 this season with a 3-3 record against conference opponents for the Lions, who are 22-53 in singles matches as a team this season. Juan Rosello is 7-6 at No. 2 singles. Eduardo Bribiesca has led the team to a 5-8 record at No. 3 singles. UAFS is 6-31 at No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 singles combined.
Arkansas-Fort Smith has won the doubles point in four duals this season, sweeping Western New Mexico and Dallas Baptist. The Lions are 8-10 in doubles matches against conference opponents and 17-21 overall this season. Ramchane and Killian Darneaux have posted a 9-3 record at No. 1 doubles for UAFS.
Midwestern State renews its rivalry with Cameron on Sunday at Streich-Henry Tennis Complex in Lawton, Oklahoma. The dual match gets underway at 2 p.m.
Â
-- MSUMustangs.com --