Jan. 19, 2004

COLLEGE STATION, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American's men's tennis team earned a split of their opening matches of the season at Texas A&M's Mitchell Tennis Center Monday afternoon. The Broncs defeated Trinity, the sixth-ranked team in Division III, 4-3, and fell to ninth-ranked Texas A&M, 6-1.

Freshman Gary Bianco (Annecy, France/Lycee Berthollet) earned the Broncs' lone point against the Aggies. Bianco defeated John Nallon at number four singles, 6-3, 6-4.

Texas-Pan American gave the Aggies all they could handle in two of the three doubles matches. At number one doubles, sophomore Rehman Esmail (Coquitlam, BC/Dr. Charles Best Secondary/North Carolina State) and junior Jeremy Salvo (Coquitlam, BC/Centennial Secondary) lost to Mohammed Dakki and Brett Joelson, 9-8. At number three, sophomores Nik Porter (Tunbridge Wells, England/Bennett Memorial School) and Oliver Steil (Brunssum, The Netherlands/AF North International School) lost to Dash Connell and Alex Strom, 9-7.

The Broncs dropped the doubles point against Trinity, then came back to win four of the six singles matches to earn the victory. Salvo, Porter, Bianco and Steil all won in singles, with Steil defeating D.J. Petros at number five singles, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 to clinch the win.

"We had some first match jitters," said UTPA Assistant Coach Kati Gyulai. "We played better against A&M than we did against Trinity. It was very cold in the morning, and it was hard to get going. Gary played very well against A&M, and we had our chances in two of the three doubles matches."

The Broncs are now 1-1 after their two matches, while A&M is 2-0, and Trinity is 0-1. Texas-Pan American will return to action when they visit Eastern Kentucky February 6th.

TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN 4, TRINITY 3

DOUBLES

1-Sean Fifield and Stefan Parker, Trinity, defeated Jeremy Salvo and Rehman Esmail, 9-7
2-Jeremy Stone and Jordan Taillon, Trinity, defeated Tom Mangelschots and Gary Bianco, 9-7
3-D.J. Petros and Nick Kaloudis, Trinity, defeated Oliver Steil and Nik Porter, 9-8

SINGLES

1-Jeremy Salvo, UTPA, defeated Fifield, 6-1, 6-2
2-Jordan Taillon, Trinity, defeated Mangelschots, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
3-Nik Porter, UTPA, defeated Kaloudis, 6-2, 6-1
4-Gary Bianco, UTPA, defeated Jeremy Stone, 6-3, 6-3
5-Oliver Steil, UTPA, defeated D.J. Petros, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
6-David Mertz, Trinity, defeated Rehman Esmail, 6-4, 6-2

TEXAS A&M 6, TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN 1

DOUBLES

1-Mohammed Dakki and Brett Joelson, TAMU, defeated Rehman Esmail and Jeremy Salvo, 9-8
2-Khaled El Dorry and Zack Malmgren, TAMU, defeated Gary Bianco and Tom Mangelschots, 8-1
3-Dash Connell and Alex Strom, TAMU, defeated Nik Porter and Oliver Steil, 9-7

SINGLES

1-Dakki, TAMU, defeated Salvo, 6-0, 6-3
2-El Dorry, TAMU, defeated Mangelschots, 6-4, 6-1
3-Joelson, TAMU, defeated Porter, 6-4, 6-1
4-Bianco, UTPA, defeated John Nallon, 6-3, 6-4
5-Bryan Wooten, TAMU, defeated Steil, 6-3, 6-4
6-Malmgren, TAMU, defeated Esmail, 6-4, 6-2