May 1, 2004
SAN DIEGO - New Mexico's Divan Coetzee, the 2004 league player of the year, rallied from a one-set deficit to lift the Lobos men's tennis team to a thrilling 4-3 victory over San Diego State on Saturday afternoon at the Barnes Tennis Center to claim the 2004 Mountain West Conference Championship.
The victory gives the top-seeded Lobos their second Mountain West Conference championship and an automatic spot in the NCAA Men's Tennis Championships. The Aztecs, playing in their fourth final in five seasons, were denied their third straight league title.
San Diego State scored the first point by winning a pair of doubles matches. The Aztecs received victories from the nation's 56th-ranked duo of Felix Hardt and Ryan Redondo at number one and Markus Dickhardt and Dontia Haynes at number two.
The Aztecs pushed the advantage to 2-0 when Dickhardt posted a 6-0, 6-2 win at number three. The Lobos bounced back winning the next three points. At number six, Jasmin Hodzic was a 6-4, 6-2 victor over Michael Coehlo, while at five, Hiroud Akhavan defeated Dontia Haynes, 6-3, 6-4. The Lobos took the lead with a victory at number two, with David Kowaiski claiming a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory.
The Aztecs tied the score at three, when Daniel Jung rode a lengthy first-set victory to a 7-6 (10), 6-1 victory.
That set the stage for the outcome to be decided at number one singles between two nationally-ranked players. In the end, it was 22nd-ranked Coetzee breaking Hardt at five all in the third set and then holding off three break points on his serve to record a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-5 win.
(1) NEW MEXICO 4, (3) SAN DIEGO STATE 3
Match Start Time: Noon PDT
Weather: 71 degrees, winds 8 mph out of W, sunny
DOUBLES --No. 1 - Felix Hardt/Ryan Redondo (SDSU) def. David Kowalski/Ryan Stotland (UNM), 8-4No. 2 - Markus Dickhardt/Dontia Haynes (SDSU) def. Divan Coetzee/Hiroud Akhavan (UNM), 8-3No. 3 - Daniel Jung/Armando Carrascosa (SDSU) vs. Jasmin Hodzic/Henry Gers (UNM), 5-4, DNFOrder of Finish: 1, 2Clinched Point: 2
SINGLES --No. 1 - Divan Coetzee (UNM) def. Felix Hardt (SDSU), 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-5No. 2 - David Kowalski (UNM) def. Ryan Redondo (SDSU), 1-6, 6-1, 6-2No. 3 - Markus Dickhardt (SDSU) def. Ryan Stotland (UNM), 6-0, 6-2No. 4 - Daniel Jung (SDSU) def. Henry Gers (UNM), 7-6 (10), 6-1No. 5 - Hiroud Akhavan (UNM) def. Dontia Haynes (SDSU), 6-3, 6-4No. 6 - Jasmin Hodzic (UNM) def. Michael Coehlo (SDSU), 6-4, 6-2Order of Finish: 3, 6, 5, 2, 4, 1Clinched Match: 1
Time of Match: 4:24