DENVER – Fresno State’s Marko Zapletal and New Mexico State’s Manon Sylvain have been named the Verizon Wireless Western Athletic Conference Tennis Players of the Week for March 8-14. This is the first honor of the season and third of his career for Zapletal and the first-ever honor for Sylvain.
Zapletal, a senior from Trebin, Czech Republic, clinched the match for the Bulldogs, with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over New Mexico's Ben Dunbar at the No. 1 spot to give the Bulldogs three-straight wins against Mountain West Conference opponents. He also picked up a doubles victory in the No. 2 position with Taylor Leiby by defeating the Lobos' Carl Ho and Joe Wood, 8-5.
Sylvain, a sophomore from Valence, France, went unbeaten against in-state rival New Mexico, helping the Aggies to just their third win ever over the Lobos and first since 2002. At No. 2 singles, she defeated Ashley Bonner in a quick two sets (6-1, 6-3) for her third consecutive singles victory, including the last two against NM State’s biggest non-conference rivals, UTEP and UNM. In doubles, Sylvain and partner Sophia Marks secured the win at No. 2 with a 9-7 decision. The pair holds a perfect 7-0 record this season.
Other male nominees included: Boise State’s Filipp Pogostkin went 2-0 in singles and 1-1 in doubles on the week.
Other female nominees included: Boise State’s Bianca Jochimsen picked up wins at No. 3 singles and No. 3 doubles against Brigham Young … Renata Kucerkova of Fresno State defeated No. 81 Arianna Colffer of Pepperdine at No. 1 singles.