EDINBURG – The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs men's tennis team (7-13) plays its final home game of the season when they host the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin Cajuns (10-10) on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.
 
The Broncs
The Broncs have performed well in doubles this season, going 26-23 (.531) in dual play and holding winning records at No. 2 (11-7) and No. 3 (10-4). Ricardo Hopker and Chetan Panditi have a 9-5 record, including 8-4 at No. 2 and 1-1 at No. 1. Victor Alves and Thomas-Orestis Panoulas are 9-4, including a 9-3 record at No. 3.
 
Scouting the Ragin Cajuns
The Ragin Cajuns are in the midst of a three-match road trip through Texas and are coming off of a 3-4 loss at UTSA on Monday.
 
The Ragin Cajuns are 31-17 (.646) in dual doubles play and are led by the duo of Rick de Groot and Jake Wynan, who are 11-6 overall, including 10-6 at No. 1.
 
The Ragin Cajuns are 68-47 (.591) in dual singles play, with winning records at four positions. Three players are at double-figures in wins, including de Groot (11), Hunter Johnson (10) and Edgar Lopez (10).
 
Series History
This is the fifth meeting all-time between the Broncs and the Ragin Cajuns in a series dating back to 2001. The Broncs are looking for their first win in the series.
 
Last season, the Broncs and No. 57 Ragin Cajuns met in Lafayette, a 0-6 loss for the Broncs.
 
This is the first of two meetings between these teams this year.
 
Last Time Out
The Broncs earned the first Southland Conference win of the season, 5-2 over Oral Roberts at TCU on Monday.
 
The Broncs got off to a strong start by taking the doubles point as the No. 2 duo of Chetan Panditi and Ricardo Hopker beat Parker Allen and Nathaniel Avery 9-8 while the No. 3 team of Victor Alves and Thomas-Orestis Panoulas defeated Braxton Bates and Gabriel Kanelopoulos 8-2.
 
Hopker, Panditi and Alves all picked up singles wins as well, as Hopker defeated Jason Mechali 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2, Panditi beat Allen 6-2, 7-6 at No. 3, and Alves downed Avery 6-2, 6-3 at No. 4.
 
The Broncs also scored a win at No. 6, where Felix Hasselberg beat Gabriel Kanelopoulos 4-6, 6-0, 6-3.
 
Panoulas Honored
After leading the Broncs to a 2-1 record and going 5-1, freshman Thomas-Orestis Panoulas became the second Bronc to earn Southland Conference Player of the Week honors on March 26. Panoulas started the week by earning the Broncs' lone point against No. 54 Arkansas, 3-6, 6-4 (10-5) over Manfred Jeske at No. 1 singles. He also swept through singles and doubles (with Victor Alves) in a doubleheader sweep of Incarnate Word and Prairie View A&M.
 
Freshmen Flare
Felix Hasselberg made his dual singles debut against Schreiner on March 2, winning 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6. Joseph Bishop played at No. 5 for the first time, winning 6-0, 6-1. The two teamed up in doubles, winning 8-1 at No. 3 in what was Bishop's dual doubles debut.
 
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. For his efforts, Alves earned Southland Conference Player of the Week honors.
 
Home Sweet Home
The Broncs are 6-3 at home this season with one match remaining.
 
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 nine matches against ranked opponents:
 
Division I ranked opponents (0-5):
1/16 @ No. 29 Texas Tech, L 1-6
1/27 @ No. 54 Rice, L 0-7
2/16 @ No. 18 Baylor, L 0-7
3/19 @ No. 54 Arkansas, L 1-6
3/30 @ No. 36 TCU, L 1-6
4/20 @ No. 60 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
 
Division II ranked opponents (2-0):
3/1 vs. No. 48 St. Mary's, W 5-2
3/23 vs. No. 19 Incarnate Word, W 7-0
 
Junior College ranked opponents (1-0):
2/1 vs. No. 7 Laredo Community College, W 4-3
 
Globetrotters
The Broncs have seven student-athletes on the roster representing six different countries, including Brazil, Belgium, Greece, India, Indonesia and Sweden.
 
Next Up
The Broncs hit the road for a critical Southland Conference matchup at Lamar on Friday at 3:00 p.m.