HOUSTON – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley men's tennis team fell to Rice University 0-7 in their season opener on Saturday at the George R. Brown Tennis Center.
 
Rice (1-0) jumped out in front 1-0 after clinching the doubles point. After taking the match on court two, the No. 9 ranked doubles team of Tommy Bennett and David Warren got all they could handle from UTRGV's team of Elliot Johnstone and Mateo Schmit, who stayed close before falling 4-6.
 
In singles, Rice quickly went up 3-0 with forfeits on courts five and six and the clinched the match with wins on courts two, one, four and three. On court three, Schmit, who was making his collegiate debut, went toe-to-to with Rice's Emanuel Llamas.
 
Schmit went back and forth in the first set as he and Llamas found themselves tied at six but it Schmit who won the tie breaker 7-2 to take the first set. The second set was another close one but this time it was Llamas pulling out the 6-4 victory before closing out the match with a win in the final set.
 
UTRGV (0-1) will be back in action on Sunday when they face Prairie View A&M at 10 a.m. at the Prairie View A&M Tennis Courts.
 
Complete Results
Singles (6,5,2,1,4,3)
1. Jake Hansen (RICE) def. Elliot Johnstone (UTRGV) 6-3, 6-0
2. Eric Rutledge (RICE) def. Andres Hernandez (UTRGV) 6-1, 6-0
3. Emanuel Llamas (RICE) def. Mateo Schmit (UTRGV) 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 1-0
4. Henrik Munch (RICE) def. Rodrigo Del Pozo (UTRGV) 6-2, 6-3
5. David Warren (RICE) def. No player (UTRGV) by forfeit
6. Oscar Janglin (RICE) def. No player (UTRGV), by forfeit
 
Doubles (2,1)
1. #9 Tommy Bennett/David Warren (RICE) def. Elliot Johnstone/Mateo Schmit (UTRGV) 6-4
2. Oscar Janglin/Jamie Malik (RICE) def. Rodrigo Del Pozo/Andres Hernandez (UTRGV) 6-0 

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