EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's tennis team fell 2-5 in a tight match against the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) on Sunday the Orville Cox Tennis Center.

"We came out pretty flat in doubles and without much time being passed we had to refocus on singles," UTRGV head coach Dann Nelson said. "I am really happy the way they battled back. We were able to take sets even after being down a set and do some things here. Even though we lost, if we don't refocus after doubles it could have been worse. UTSA is a good team and they show it in the big moments. We have to figure out how to combat those things."
 
After falling in doubles, UTRGV (2-3) forced three of the singles matches to three sets while forcing tiebreaker sets in two others.
 
UTSA (2-4) extended their lead to 2-0 with a win on court five but senior Elliot Johnstone got UTRGV on the board after defeating Javier Gonzalez 7-6, 6-2 on court four.
 
UTSA added a win on court two, which extended their lead to 3-1 but junior Yehonatan Kaufman got UTRGV within a point with a win on court three over Gabriel Bugiga. Kaufman fell 3-6 in the first set before battling back in the second with a 6-3 win. Kaufman battled through cramps throughout the third set but came away with the 6-4 victory that made it 2-3 in favor of UTSA.
 
UTRGV battled through three sets on courts one and six but UTSA pulled out the victories to put the match away.
 
UTRGV will be back in action on Saturday, February 10, when it hosts the University of the Incarnate Word at the Orville Cox Tennis Center at 10 a.m.
 
Complete Results
Singles (5,4,2,3,1,6)
1. Kai Breitbach (UTSA) def. Koby Jansen (UTRGV) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
2. Juri Reckow (UTSA) def. Dennis Boisseau (UTRGV) 6-3, 7-6 (3)
3. Yehonatan Kaufman (UTRGV) def. Gabriel Bugiga (UTSA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
4. Elliot Johnstone (UTRGV) def. Javier Gonzalez (UTSA) 7-6 (5), 6-2
5. Joao Ceolin (UTSA) def. Zane Kohrs (UTRGV) 6-2, 6-2
6. Patrick Poestinger (UTSA) def. Clément Sarradin (UTRGV) 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5
 
Doubles (3,2)
1. Elliot Johnstone/Yehonatan Kaufman (UTRGV) vs. Javier Gonzalez/Juri Reckow (UTSA) 4-3 unfinished
2. Joao Ceolin/Igor Cantanhede (UTSA) def. Dennis Boisseau/Koby Jansen (UTRGV) 6-2
3. Gabriel Bugiga/Kai Breitbach (UTSA) def. Michael Loyd/Zane Kohrs (UTRGV) 6-3

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