LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State men's tennis team triumphed over Battle of I-25 rival New Mexico Thursday afternoon 4-1 at the NM State Tennis Center. The last time the Aggies took down their rivals to the north was on Feb. 20, 2010, at home­­ 4-3 when the Lobos were ranked No. 53 in the country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
 
Action started in doubles play like usual late Thursday morning, but there was a small caveat at the top doubles position for the Aggies (9-5). Christofer Goncalves, who usually plays alongside Luis Flores, teamed up with Sergi Espias at the top doubles slot for NM State. The two gave UNM (10-6) a fit early only, but eventually fell 6-2.
 
Louis Menard and Enrique Asmar knotted things up for the Aggies when they bested their counterparts 6-3 before Stijn de Haan and Mauri Benitez clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 victory on court No. 2.
 
Moving up to the No. 2 singles slot with the absence of Flores, de Haan put New Mexico State gave the Aggies a 2-0 advantage when he defeated Bart Van Leijsen 6-3, 6-2. Goncalves continued his strong senior season with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Ricky Hernandez-Tong.
 
With the Aggies leading 3-0, UNM sneaked a win on court No. 4 but it was short-lived when Menard took down Tim Buttner at the sixth singles slot 7-6, 6-2.
 
New Mexico State will have about nine days to prepare for its next match, which will be on the road at Arizona on Saturday, March 24, at 10 a.m. (MT).