EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's tennis team fell 2-5 to Laredo Community College, who is ranked fourth in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association junior college rankings, in its first home match of the season on Thursday at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.
 
UTRGV (2-11) got off to a good start in doubles as the team of junior Clément Sarradin and freshman George Hutchings picked up the 6-4 over Manuel Pilotto and Mauricio Grijalva on court one. Sarradin and Hutchings were down 2-4 before rallying with four straight games to take the match but it was LCC (3-1) who won on courts two and three to take the point.
 
In singles, Sarradin answered back with a 6-1, 6-1 win on court three over Juan David Ramirez to tie the match at 1-1.
 
LCC then took the lead with wins on courts two and one but it was junior Mateo Schmit who answered with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Adrian Martinez on court five, which made it 2-3 in favor of LCC as they won the final two courts to put the match away. 
 
UTRGV will be back on the road this weekend as they head to San Antonio to face UTSA on Saturday at 11 a.m. and Incarnate Word on Sunday at 10 a.m.
 
Complete Results
Singles (3,2,1,5,6,4)
1. Manuel Pilotto (LCC) def. Samuel de Felipe Garcia (UTRGV) 6-4, 6-2
2. Mauricio Grijalva (LCC) def. George Hutchings (UTRGV) 6-1, 6-3
3. Clément Sarradin (UTRGV) def. Juan David Ramirez (LCC) 6-1, 6-1
4. Alberto Mello (LCC) def. Zane Kohrs (UTRGV) 6-4, 7-6 (1)
5. Mateo Schmit (UTRGV) def. Adrian Martinez (LCC) 7-5, 6-2
6. Rodrigo Mere (LCC) def. Georgije Babic (UTRGV) 7-6, 6-0
 
Doubles (1,3,2)
1. Clément Sarradin/George Hutchings (UTRGV) def. Manuel Pilotto/Mauricio Grijalva (LCC) 6-4
2. Juan David Ramirez/Alberto Mello (LCC) def. Samuel de Felipe Garcia/Zane Kohrs (UTRGV) 7-5
3. Rodrigo Mere/Adrian Martinez (LCC) def. Mateo Schmit/Michael Loyd (UTRGV) 7-5