SEATTLE – The New Mexico State men's tennis team dropped a critical league match Friday evening to Grand Canyon 6-1 at the Amy Yee Tennis Center.
 
NM State's top doubles team of Stijn de Haan and Mauri Benitez had the match tied at 4-4, but wound up falling 6-4 before Louis Menard and Enrique Asmar were defeated 6-2 on court No. 2 to give the Lopes (16-6, 4-0 WAC) the doubles point.
 
Singles action saw de Haan bested by Lorenzo Fucile 6-1, 6-2 at the top singles slot before Asmar was bested on court No. 4 6-1, 6-4. Down 3-0, NM State (13-9, 3-1 WAC) saw GCU clinch the match at the No. 5 position when Benitez was taken out 7-5, 6-1 by Freddie Grant.
 
Martin Simecek forced a tiebreaker after dropping the second set, but wasn't able to fend off his counterpart and fell 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (7-3) before Menard gave New Mexico State its lone point with a come from behind 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8) win on court No. 2. The Lopes captured the final point of the match on court No. 6 when Nicolas Buitrago saw his match slip away 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (7-5).
 
With the loss, NM State will need some help from UT Rio Grande Valley, who'll face GCU on Saturday, April 13, to get a share of the league title. Meanwhile, the Aggies will need to win their match against host Seattle U on Saturday, which is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. (MT).