In a Friday match that lasted more than four hours, the TCU men’s tennis team (9-12, 4-1 MWC) rallied back from losing the doubles point to overcome No. 53 New Mexico (12-8, 2-1 MWC), 5-2.

The Horned Frogs secured five of the singles matches even after dropping the first set on four of those courts.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the team,” head coach David Roditi said. “These guys just never quit.”

Senior Zach Nichols and junior Daniel Sanchez opened doubles play by securing a win against Carl Ho and Joe Wood on the No. 3 court, 8-5.

The Lobos’ pair of Conor Berg and Ben Dunbar claimed a victory on the No. 2 court where they faced the TCU senior duo of Cameron Nash and Paul Chappel.

It took a tiebreaker to determine the winner in the No. 1 position and the winner of the doubles point. The No. 34 senior duo Christopher Price and Emanuel Brighiu fell to No. 79 Phil Anderson and Jadon Phillips, 9-8 (5).

To lead off singles play, No. 78 Brighiu dropped New Mexico’s Phillips in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3 from the No. 1 slot.

From the No. 6 position, Sanchez swiftly defeated Joe Wood in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-3, after securing the first in a close tiebreaker.

On the remaining four singles courts, each TCU player lost their first set.

At No. 4, a controversial line call led to the Lobos’ Berg coming up victorious in the first set, 6-7 (6). But Price fought back convincingly to come up with the win, 6-1, 6-3, securing his seventh straight victory in singles play.

With TCU up 3-1, Nichols clinched the Horned Frogs’ win at the No. 2 spot by downing Dunbar, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

TCU’s final point was earned by sophomore Soren Goritzka’s victory on the No. 5 court against Anderson. The Wilhelmshaven, Germany native emerged victorious by overcoming a slow start, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-2.

Brigh emphasized how vital it was that the team bounced back to gain the win.

“We took care of business today,” he said. “It feels good to go with a win into playing SMU.”

Up next

TCU will play its final match of the season against SMU at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center tomorrow at 6 p.m.