HOUSTON – The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs men's tennis team dropped a tough neutral site match to the Nicholls State University Colonels 3-4 on Sunday at the Walden Country Club.
 
"I am proud of the boys' fight, positive energy and unbreakable bond," Broncs head coach Brandon Stokes said. "We must improve immediately to eliminate a few moments of lapses that determine the result of team matches. This team result is unacceptable yet something we will use to improve."
 
The Broncs (2-3) dropped the doubles point as the Colonels (1-2) took a pair of close matches on court one and three.
 
The Colonels started off singles competition with a wins on courts six and four to take a 3-0 but the Broncs answered with a three victories of their own. Freshman Koby Jansen put the Broncs on the board with a straight set 6-1, 6-4 win over Evan Karatzas on court three. Junior Hector Ramirez followed that with a 6-4, 6-1 over Sam Meessen on court one. Sophomore Juan Cruz Soria tied the match with a three set victory over Partha Adavelly on court two. Soria dropped his opening set 1-6 but answered back with a 6-4 victory in the second set and a 6-3 win in the third and final set.
 
Heading into the decisive match, freshman Miguel Alvarez-Hevia dropped the first set of his match against Kieran Cronin 7-6. He then fought back after trailing in the second set 2-5 to win the set 7-5, which forced a third set but he fell 1-6 on court five. 
 
"Hector, Koby and Juan had important and gutty performances for us," Stokes said. "Miguel saved four match points in the second set trailing 2-5 to come back and win the set 7-5 and forcing a third. You have to give credit to Nicholls State for their performance in the third set."
 
"It was another terrific and energetic college tennis environment," Stokes said. "Walden Country Club on Lake Houston were wonderful hosts. It is a first rate facility run by tennis director Mike Beatty. We are fortunate to have cultivated this promising relationship."
 
The Broncs are back in action on February 18 as they continue their road stretch against the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders.
 
Complete Results:
Doubles (1,3)
1. Kieran Cronin/Bernard Wezeman (NSU) def. Juan Cruz Soria/Koby Jansen (UTPA) 6-4
2. Lukas Clemens/Max Sinn (NSU) vs. Nikola Crvelin/Ethan Ammon (UTPA) 5-5 unfinished
3. Evan Karatzas/Partha Adavelly (NSU) def. Miguel Alvarez-Hevia/Hector Ramirez (UTPA) 6-4
 
Singles (6,4,3,1,2,5)           
1. Hector Ramirez (UTPA) def. Sam Meessen (NSU) 6-4, 6-1
2. Juan Cruz Soria (UTPA) def. Partha Adavelly (NSU) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
3. Koby Jansen (UTPA) def. Evan Karatzas (NSU) 6-1, 6-4
4. Bernard Wezeman (NSU) def. Nikola Crvelin (UTPA) 6-4, 6-2
5. Kieran Cronin (NSU) def. Miguel Alvarez-Hevia (UTPA) 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-1
6. Lukas Clemens (NSU) def. Ethan Ammon (UTPA) 6-1, 6-2

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