Live Results
 
Live Blog
 
WACO – The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs men's tennis team (1-4) visits No. 18 Baylor (3-1) on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Hurd Tennis Center.
 
The Broncs
The Broncs have had their greatest singles success at the No. 1, No. 5 and No. 6 positions by going 2-3 at each. Thomas-Orestis Panoulas has played all four matches at No. 1. Adding in his 4-4 Tournament record, he is a team best 6-7 this season. Victor Alves has played at No. 5 twice (1-1) and No. 6 twice (1-1). Alejandro Sanoja has played at No. 5 twice (1-1) and Joseph Bishop has played at No. 6 three times (1-2).
 
In doubles, the duo of Sebastien Job and Sanoja is 3-2, including 3-1 at the No. 1 spot. Alves and Panoulas are 2-1, including 2-0 at No. 3.
 
Scouting the Bears
After going 41-25 (.621) in tournament singles play and 15-11 (.577) in tournament doubles play, the Bears are off to a good start in dual play, with a 6-1 win over Hawaii, a 7-0 win over SMU and a 6-1 win over No. 69 Purdue. The Bears' lone loss came at No. 22 Tulsa, 2-5.
 
The Bears are 9-1 in doubles, using six different pairing, five of which weren't used during tournament play. For example, the duo of Marko Krickovic and Robert Verzaal, who went 10-4 in tournament play, has been split up. Krickovic is 2-0 with Patrick Pradella and 1-1 with Roberto Maytin at No. 2. Verzaal is 1-0 with Tony Lupieri at No. 3. The only doubles duo that had prior experience together this year is Diego Galeano and Mate Zsiga, who are 2-0 at No. 1 after going 0-2 in tournament play.
 
The Bears are 17-7 in singles, with a 3-1 mark in each of the top five spots and a 2-2 mark at No. 6. Galeano is 4-0, going 3-0 at No. 5 and 1-0 at No. 6.
 
Broncs vs. Bears
The Broncs are 14-12 all-time against the Bears in a series dating back to 1960. The Broncs and Bears last met in 2010, a 7-0 victory for Baylor. The Broncs last beat the Bears in 1993.
 
Last Time Out
The Broncs are coming off of a 1-6 loss to Southland Conference opponent Nicholls State. The Broncs won the doubles point, as Sanoja and Job won 8-5 at No. 1 and Chetan Panditi and Felix Haselberg won 8-2 at No. 2 to clinch the point, but the Colonels swept through singles for the win.
 
Awesome Alves
Junior Victor Alves got off to a hot start in dual play, going 2-1 in singles and 2-1 doubles over the Broncs' first four matches. Alves had a 4-0 weekend during the Broncs' first two home matches on Feb. 1 and 3, teaming with Panoulas to win twice at No. 3 doubles, and then picking up a win at No. 5 singles against Laredo Community College and at No. 6 against UTSA. Alves was the first to finish in singles both times.
 
Home Sweet Home
The Broncs picked up their first home win under second year head coach Paul Goode 4-3 over No. 7 Laredo Community College on Feb. 1. The Broncs are in a stretch of six out of seven matches at home, including two stretches of three in a row.
 
The Broncs played five home matches last year, all at the end of the season. This year the Broncs play 10 home matches, including three three-match home stands.
 
This is the most home matches the Broncs have had in a single season since the turn of the century.
 
Tough Schedule
The Broncs are challenging themselves this season and currently boast a schedule that includes 10 matches against ranked opponents:
 
Division I ranked opponents (0-2):
1/16 @ No. 29 Texas Tech, L 1-6
1/27 @ No. 54 Rice, L 0-7
2/16 @ No. 18 Baylor
3/19 @ No. 51 Arkansas
3/30 @ No. 68 TCU
4/3 vs. No. 75 Louisiana Lafayette
4/15 @ No. 75 Louisiana Lafayette
 
Division II ranked opponents (0-0):
3/1 vs. No. 44 St. Mary's
3/23 vs. No. 18 Incarnate Word
 
Junior College ranked opponents (1-0):
2/1 vs. No. 7 Laredo Community College, W 4-3
 
Globetrotters
The Broncs have eight student-athletes on the roster representing seven different countries, including the United States of America, Brazil, Belgium, Greece, India, Indonesia and Sweden. The lone American Bronc is Sanoja, who calls Mission home.
 
Next Up
The Broncs return home for a day-night doubleheader on Friday, March 1, as they host the University of the Southwest at 10:00 a.m. and the No. 44 team in Division II, St. Mary's University, at 4:00 p.m. at the newly renovated Orville Cox Tennis Center. In between matches, the UTPA women's team will face No. 18 St. Mary's.