LUBBOCK — Joel Rubio teamed with Diogo Casa for a win in doubles and he also provided the decisive victory in singles to help UTSA nip Nevada, 4-3, on Friday night at Lubbock Country Club.
Playing indoors due to snow in the Texas Panhandle, the Roadrunners extended their winning streak to three matches and ran their record to 5-4 in their fifth one-point contest of the season.
After UTSA lost at No. 1 doubles, Rubio and Casa posted a 6-2 victory against Robert Allan and Moez Chargui at No. 2 to improve to 5-1 on the year, while Tito Moreiras and Jake Rother clinched the first point of the match with a 6-3 decision against Billy Bumgardner and Peter O’Donovan on the third court.
After falling behind 3-0 once singles competition began, the Wolf Pack (1-6) rallied to knot the score with a trio of wins. However, Rubio scored a 6-2, 6-2 decision against Ryan Andrada at No. 5 singles to secure the win.
Moreiras initially gave the Roadrunners a 2-0 advantage with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Fernando Sunago at No. 3.
Tomas Stillman, the nation's 77th-ranked player, then pushed the lead to 3-0 with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph against Chargui at the top spot. The senior from Harlingen upped his season record to 7-2 with his fifth straight win.
Nevada responded with victories at Nos. 2, 4 and 6 before Rubio’s victory at the fifth spot evened the all-time series between the two schools at one apiece. With only four courts available indoors, Nos. 5 and 6 were the last to play.
The Roadrunners will continue their road swing at sixth-ranked Texas (10-1) at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4.
UTSA 4, Nevada 3
Doubles
1. Poustie/Sunago (UNR) def. Junger/Stillman (UTSA) 6-1
2. Casa/Rubio (UTSA) def. Allan/Chargui (UNR) 6-2
3. Moreiras/Rother (UTSA) def. Bumgardner/O'Donovan (UNR) 6-3
Singles
1. #77 Tomas Stillman (UTSA) def. Moez Chargui (UNR) 6-4, 6-2
2. Andrew Poustie (UNR) def. Yannick Junger (UTSA) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
3. Tito Moreiras (UTSA) def. Fernando Sunago (UNR) 6-3, 6-4
4. Robert Allan (UNR) def. Diogo Casa (UTSA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
5. Joel Rubio (UTSA) def. Ryan Andrada (UNR) 6-2, 6-2
6. Mile Cilic (UNR) def. Mark Ginting (UTSA) 6-3, 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,1,2,4,6,5)