Boise State Captures 2012 MW Men's Tennis Title

SAN DIEGO - Top-seeded and No. 38 Boise State defeated No. 66 and third-seeded New Mexico, 4-0, to claim the 2012 Mountain West Men's Tennis Championship Sunday at Aztec Tennis Center. The Broncos won the title after winning the doubles point and capturing three singles victories.

Boise State jumped out to a 1-0 advantage after claiming the doubles point in thrilling fashion. The Lobos struck first when Conor Berg and Ben Dunbar defeated Damian Hume and Scott Sears at No. 2, 8-3. The Broncos, however, responded by winning the remaining two matches. James Meredith and Nathan Sereke were 8-4 winners at No. 1 over 58th-ranked Phil Anderson and Jadon Phillips. BSU later secured the point when Andy Bettles and Filipp Pogostkin pocketed a 9-7 decision over Carl Ho and James Hignett at the third position.

Sereke gave Boise State a 2-0 lead when he downed Berg in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4, at No. 4. Soon thereafter, the Broncos took a 3-0 lead when Bettles was a 6-3, 6-2 winner in his match at No. 3 with Anderson. Then seconds later, Boise State won its first Mountain West tournament crown when No. 91 Meredith defeated Phillips at the top position, 6-2, 6-2.

With the win, the Broncos earned the Mountain West's automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Men's Championships, which begin May 18. It marks Boise State's first Mountain West Tournament championship. The rest of the 64-team field will be announced live on NCAA.com, Tuesday, May 1, between 2-3 p.m. PT.

Doubles

1. James Meredith/Nathan Sereke (BSU) def. No. 58 Phil Anderson/Jadon Phillips (UNM), 8-4

2. Conor Berg/Ben Dunbar (UNM) def. Damian Hume/Scott Sears (BSU), 8-3

3. Andy Bettles/Filipp Pogostkin (BSU) def. Carl Ho/James Hignett (UNM), 9-7

Boise State wins doubles point.

Singles

1. No. 91 James Meredith (BSU) def. Jadon Phillips (UNM), 6-2, 6-2 

2. Ben Dunbar (UNM) vs. No. 68 Damian Hume (BSU), 7-5, 2-4 unfinished

3. Andy Bettles (BSU) def. Phil Anderson (UNM), 6-3, 6-2

4. Nathan Sereke (BSU) def. Conor Berg (UNM), 6-0, 6-4

5. Sam Iftikhar (UNM) vs. Filipp Pogostkin (BSU), 6-4, 5-0 unfinished

6. Scott Sears (BSU) vs. Carl Ho (UNM), 7-6, 0-1 unfinished

Order of finish

Doubles: 2, 1, 3

Singles: 4, 3, 1