FORT SMITH, Ark. (April 20, 2024) – No.45 Lubbock Christian University battled back from a 3-0 deficit with four consecutive singles wins, capped with
Sabri Laphitz getting the clinching win in No.6-singles, as LCU claimed a 4-3 win over Arkansas Fort Smith in the final Lone Star Conference and regular season dual of the 2023-24 season.
Everything was going in UAFS's favor early in the dual. The Lions claimed the doubles point winning two of the three doubles matches. LCU's No.2-doubles squad,
Herman Aguirre /
Pablo Segura, won their match 6-3, but UAFS's No.48 nationally ranked squad of Killian Darneaux / Anis Ramchane won No.1-doubles to tie doubles play. The Lions claimed the point winning No.3-doubles.
No.1-singles and No.2-singles were the first matches to end and they were each claimed by the Lions to take a 3-0 lead. Despite trailing 3-0, UAFS never threatened to garner the fourth point. Segura (No.3-singles),
Braden Tipton (No.5-singles),
Blas Ruiz Romero (No.4-singles) and Laphitz (No.6-singles) all cruised to straight-set wins. Sabri won the clincher with a pair of 6-1 set wins to send LCU home with consecutive 4-3 wins on the road trip.
Segura won his team-leading 24
th singles win this season (ninth consecutive win) and is 24-5 in all singles matches played. He is 17-2 in duals and 3-0 in No.3-singles matches. Tipton claimed his first LSC singles win of the season (second LSC singles match). Ruiz Romero improved to 14-4 overall this season in singles and 8-2 in duals (he is 2-0 in No.4-singles). The doubles team of Aguirre / Segura won their team-leading 18
th doubles match of the season (18-5). They are 13-4 in duals and 3-0 in No.2-doubles on the season.
The Chaps record improves to 17-5 on the season and they are 5-3 in the LSC to end the regular season. LCU is 3-3 in matches with 4-3 outcomes. The Chaps 5-3 conference record places them with a share of fourth place in the LSC standings. They should be the No.4-seed at the LSC Championships, which are scheduled to begin Thursday in Arlington, Texas.
