Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Wilder Pimentel named MVC Player of the Week
04/05/2016 | 12:00:00 | Men's Tennis
By Elizabeth Robinson
SIUSalukis.com
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- For the first time in his career as a Saluki, junior transfer Wilder Pimentel has been named MVC Player of the Week. Pimentel earns the weekly accolade after going 5-0 in doubles and singles play over the weekend.
Pimentel picked up two wins in doubles and three in singles in the Salukis' three matches last weekend. In Friday's double-header against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Pimentel held his opponents scoreless in singles play, winning both of his No. 3 singles matches 6-0, 6-0. In doubles play, Pimentel and his partner Alex Pozo won 6-2 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and shut out their Louisville opponents on Sunday night, 6-0. Pimentel and Pozo were the only pair to win a doubles match against Louisville.
Pimentel's success continued in singles after a tough first match where he won in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-2). He went on to close out the match in two frames, taking the second, 6-3. Pimentel's wins move him to 25-7 in singles, winning five straight, and 12-4 in doubles with Pozo, winning four straight. His 25 singles wins rank seventh all-time at SIU for most singles wins in a season.
This is the third time a Saluki men's tennis player has earned MVC Player of the Week honors this season, after Alex Pozo was named Player of the Week in March and Jonny Rigby in February. The Salukis are 11-3 on the season and are set to open conference play against Illinois State in their final home match of the season on Saturday at 11 a.m.
