ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.-- The UT Arlington men's tennis team fell to New Mexico 5-2 in their opening match of the season in the Jack Kennedy Classic on Friday.
 
The Mavericks lost the doubles point to the Lobos early on to go down 0-1. Rafael Abdulsalam and Georgio Samaha defeated Daichi Akiyoshi and Joan Torres Espinosa on Court 3 6-2. Santiago Giamichelle and Anton Shepp were the next team to fall, losing 6-4 on Court 1.
 
In singles action, the Mavs won two out of six matches against the Lobos.
 
Giamichelle defeated Aram Noroozian on Court 3 in straight sets to start off his spring season. After being down in the first set, he fought back to win 7-5, 7-5. Solano Caffarena also picked up his first win of the spring, winning 6-2, 7-6 against Abdulsalam on Court 2. He dominated the tiebreaker in the second set with a score of 7-1.
 
Torres Espinosa lost 6-2, 6-3 on Court 5, followed by Lachlan Robertson on Court 6; 6-4, 6-3.
 
Arda Azkara defeated Shepp in a close match on Court 1; 7-5, 6-4. Dante Teramo was also one service break away from winning, with a 6-4, 6-4 loss on Court 4.
 
The Mavericks will be back in action tomorrow against Gonzaga at noon.

New Mexico 5, UTA 2 

Singles
1. Arda Azkara (UNM) def. Anton Shepp (UTA) 7-5, 6-4
2. Solano Caffarena (UTA) def. Rafael Abdulsalam (UNM) 6-2, 7-6 (7-1)
3. Santiago Giamichelle (UTA) def. Aram Noroozian (UNM) 7-5, 7-5
4. Ryoma Matsushita (UNM) def. Dante Teramo (UTA) 6-4, 6-4
5. Georgio Samaha (UNM) def. Joan Torres Espinosa (UTA) 6-2, 6-3
6. Alex Maggs (UNM) def. Lachlan Robertson (UTA) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles
1. Alex Maggs/Jan Pucalka (UNM) def. Anton Shepp/ Santiago Giamichelle (UTA) 6-4
2. Unfinished
3. Rafael Abdulsalam/Georgio Samaha (UNM) def. Daichi Akiyoshi/Joan Torres Espinosa (UTA) 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (5,6,1,4,3,2)
 

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