UTRGV Vaqueros Rally Past UTPB for Gritty 5-2 Victory

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men’s tennis team overcame an early setback in doubles play to earn a 5-2 victory against UT Permian Basin (UTPB) on Thursday at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.

UTPB (4-4) gained an early advantage by winning the doubles point. The Falcons secured wins on the top two courts, with Grzegorz Rudnicki and Florian Kralik claiming a 6-2 victory at No. 2. UTRGV responded with a 6-3 win from Ivo Isqueiro and Eduardo Menezes at No. 3. The decisive match at No. 1 saw UTPB’s Jonathan Vega and Jonas Krahofer hold off Santiago Serrano and Loic Young Kriegel for a 6-4 win.

Despite the early deficit, UTRGV (4-13) turned the match around in singles play. Young Kriegel got the Vaqueros on the board with a dominant 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 4. Isqueiro followed with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 2, giving UTRGV a 2-1 lead.

Four of the six singles matches went to three sets in a grueling contest under the Texas sun. At No. 5, Will Roberts rebounded after dropping the first set to win 2-6, 6-2, 6-2. Serrano then clinched the team victory with a hard-fought 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-4 win at No. 3.

UTPB earned a point with a win at No. 6, but UTRGV’s Sam Whitehead capped the day with a dramatic comeback at No. 1. After losing the first set, Whitehead stormed back to win 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a match that lasted nearly three hours.

UTRGV will return to action on Monday at 9 a.m. against Prairie View A&M.

Match Results

Doubles (2, 3, 1)

1. Jonathan Vega/Jonas Krahofer (UTPB) def. Santiago Serrano/Loic Young Kriegel (UTRGV) 6-4
2. Grzegorz Rudnicki/Florian Kralik (UTPB) def. Sam Whitehead/Paolo Bonaguro (UTRGV) 6-2
3. Eduardo Menezes/Ivo Isqueiro (UTRGV) def. Lucas Nitzschke/Sergio Gonzalez (UTPB) 6-3

Singles (4, 2, 5, 3, 6, 1)

1. Sam Whitehead (UTRGV) def. Jonathan Vega (UTPB) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
2. Ivo Isqueiro (UTRGV) def. Grzegorz Rudnicki (UTPB) 6-4, 6-4
3. Santiago Serrano (UTRGV) def. Sergio Gonzalez (UTPB) 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-4
4. Loic Young Kriegel (UTRGV) def. Jonas Krahofer (UTPB) 6-3, 6-1
5. Will Roberts (UTRGV) def. Lucas Nitzschke (UTPB) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
6. Florian Kralik (UTPB) def. Eduardo Menezes (UTRGV) 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3

Related topics:

• Kennedy Buntrock Named Big West Women’s Tennis Player of the Week
• Chattanooga Men’s Tennis Dominates Midland with 7-0 Shutout
• SIUE Sweeps George Mason 7-0 in Hilton Head Matchup