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(DAILY_WILDCAT)

By Kristen Davis
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 17, 1997

Trainers earn their money in UA loss


[photograph]


Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA senior Henrik Wagner returned to the lineup yesterday after being sidelined with an arm injury for two matches. He lost his singles match against UTEP's Patrick Osuna, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 yesterday at Robson Tennis Center in the Wildcats 4-3 loss.


The UA men's tennis team had the trainers working overtime again.

"We're just seeing some rough times all at the same time," said UA head coach Bill Wright about the increasing problem keeping his team healthy.

Adding to the insult of losing 4-3 to No. 54 UTEP at Robson Tennis Center yesterday, three more UA players were knocked out of commission.

UA junior Mike Mackay said he was done for the season after further complicating his back problem he sustained Tuesday in practice.

"I was playing at about 60 percent," Mackay said. "I couldn't serve, it hurt to hit a backhand - it hurt every point."

Freshman Charlie Bachtell was out with a throat infection and senior Roland Kupka said he needed some medical attention for his assorted pains.

The Wildcats (5-13 overall, 0-9 in the Pacific 10 Conference Southern Division) have been plagued with injuries all season and seen more lineups than Wright thought was possible.

Bachtell and Kupka will be evaluated before the team's final match on Saturday against Arizona State.

Senior Henrik Wagner, who had not played in a match since April 6 because of an injury in his arm, and freshman Jean-Noel Lacoste returned to the lineup yesterday.

Wagner and his doubles partner, Tom Haugland, secured Arizona's first doubles point since March 28 with their 8-3 win. Lacoste teamed with Jerome Oliveri lost 8-6.

"(The doubles point) gave us a lot of confidence but we failed to get things done once again," Mackay said of Arizona's 10th consecutive loss.

The Wildcats were ahead 3-2 at one point after singles victories from Kupka and Oliveri, who handed Emmanuel Raux, just his third loss of the season.

The Wagner match on court one, and Mackay match on court five became the deciding factor.

Wagner lost to UTEP's Patrick Osuna 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 and Mackay dropped his match 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 6-4.

"(Osuna and Zubiarrain) both dug a deep hole in the first set," UTEP head coach Ron McGaughy said. "Sometimes you get a little sluggish at first and I think they got comfortable and felt like they could play with them and ultimately got enough points."

The 12-4 Miners' win yesterday was their first ever against the Wildcats.

"We're hungry and we want to be able to compete and play with the likes of Arizona. That's what we've been working toward," McGaughy said.


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