Air Force men’s tennis lost to No. 64-ranked Boise State, 4-2, in a Mountain West Conference match on March 27 at the USAFA Indoor Tennis Courts. The Falcons now have a season record of 6-9 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
The outcome is significant as it affects Air Force’s standing within the conference and provides insight into the team’s progress during the season.
Air Force started strong by winning the doubles point, with victories from AJ Moore and Langdon Tingleaf at No. 2 doubles (6-4) and Phillip Deaton and Caden Lee at No. 3 doubles (7-5). However, after Boise State tied the score with a singles win at No. 4, Deaton gave Air Force a brief lead by defeating Stewart Aronson in straight sets (7-6 [7-5], 6-3) at No. 2 singles. The Broncos responded by taking wins in three consecutive singles matches to secure their victory.
Head coach Evan Urbina said, “All these conference matches are so competitive. In the end, a couple third sets didn’t go our way. Jack and AJ winning second sets to get to a third set was very important for this team. We always talk about problem-solving and making adjustments, which they did. I know they both learned a lot from today and will continue to play loose and tough in those tough moments. Our lone freshman, Caden Lee, continues to make his mark in our doubles lineup. He had great energy and won some crucial deuce points for us. Phil was a great leader on the double court as well. He continued to battle in singles and I’m so proud of the way he is competing. We look forward to Sunday against Utah State.”
Looking ahead, Air Force will host No. 72 Utah State on Sunday, March 29.
