Complete WAC Release
DENVER - In the conference's driver's seat following the first weekend of league action, one of the NM State men's tennis team's best duos saw some league honors come its way after a perfect two-match stretch.
In a release issued Wednesday by the Western Athletic Conference, NM State men's tennis players Gijs Akkermans and Corey Clarke were named the league's Doubles Team of the Week.
On a three-match winning streak following a pair of victories at home last weekend, Akkermans and Clarke have the Aggies sitting atop the WAC standings following the opening weekend of league action.
Penciled in as the team's number-two doubles team last week, Akkermans and Clarke helped their team get off to a strong start both in tandem play and in WAC action. Pitted against UTRGV's tandem of George Hutchings and Alberto Mello Friday afternoon, Akkermans and Clarke helped NM State clinch the doubles point with a 6-1 win over the Vaqueros' duo. That win eventually helped the Aggies claim a 5-1 triumph over UTRGV in the WAC opener for both clubs.
Sunday morning, NM State snapped a four-match losing skid against Grand Canyon with a 6-1 win which was again aided by the play of Akkermans and Clarke in doubles action. Again playing on line two, NM State's duo doubled up the Lopes' pairing of Freddie Grant and Loic Van Zeggelaar by a 6-3 tally to help NM State pick up the doubles point against Grand Canyon.
This season, Akkermans and Clarke have served as the Aggies' strongest doubles team. They have constructed a mark of 9-6 and a 2-0 showing in WAC tilts when playing alongside one another.
NM State is the owner of a 7-12 record which includes a perfect 2-0 mark in WAC matches. Dating back to last season, the Aggies have won each of their last four regular-season WAC tilts.
Akkermans, Clarke and the rest of the Aggies are headed to Beaumont, Texas, this weekend for two more WAC tilts. League-leading NM State starts its two-match weekend bright and early Friday morning with an 8:00 a.m. MT showdown with Chicago State at the Thompson Family Tennis Center on the campus of Lamar University.
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