FORT SMITH, Arkansas -- Killian Guillou defeated his compatriot from France — Killian Darneaux of Arkansas-Fort Smith — clinching a dual-match victory and assuring Midwestern State the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Lone Star Conference Tournament. The Mustangs defeated the Lions at Ben Geren Park on Friday afternoon, 5-2, and improved their record to 7-0 in conference play.
Midwestern State has won eight consecutive dual matches and its overall record is 12-7. The Mustangs wrap up the regular season at Cameron on Sunday afternoon.
Guillou had lost four of his previous five singles matches, but he earned the point at No. 4 singles with a 6-4, 6-2 victory that gave Midwestern State at least a share of its fifth conference title and third in the last six years.
Luis Diaz Argente, the reigning LSC Player of the Week, improved to 6-1 in conference play by defeating Amis Ramchane, 7-5, 6-0, at No. 1 singles. Diaz is 10-6 overall with seven wins in the No. 1 position.
Diaz and
Stephen Slocombe started the day with a 6-0 victory over Ramchane and Darneaux at No. 1 doubles. The No. 3-ranked tandem in NCAA Division II improved to 12-4 with a 6-1 record against conference foes.
MSU went on to win the doubles point as
Justin Van Amerongen and
Bruno Sanchez thumped Eddie Hunter and Juan Patino at No. 3 doubles, 6-1. Guillou and
Germano Setti completed the doubles sweep with a 6-3 win over Juan Rosello and Eduardo Bribiesca.
Charlie Heffernan won his fourth consecutive match since returning to dual-match play earlier this month. Heffernan scored a 6-4, 6-3 win over Kevin Praphan at No. 6 singles to put the Mustangs on the verge of victory.
Setti had a six-match winning streak at No. 2 singles snapped last week with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-7 (3) loss to Egor Shestakov of UT Tyler, but the sophomore from Brazil rebounded on Friday afternoon with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Rosello. Setti won a match in straight sets for the fifth time in six outings.
The Lions picked up two points with victories at No. 5 and No. 3 singles.
Patino edged
Philip Kamara, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 10-7, and Bribiesca slipped past Slocombe, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (3).
Slocombe had won seven of his previous eight singles matches and fell to 5-2 in conference play. Kamara also fell to 5-2 against LSC opponents this season.
Midwestern State has won all 15 of its dual matches with Arkansas Fort Smith, which is leaving the Lone Star Conference to join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association for the 2024-25 year.
The Mustangs renew the Red River Rivalry on Sunday with a 2 p.m. dual match against Cameron at Streich-Henry Tennis Complex in Lawton, Oklahoma.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
