STILLWATER, Okla. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's tennis team earned its first win of the season on Monday, defeating the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (ORU) 4-3 in a tight match at the Greenwood Tennis Center. 
 
Oral Roberts (0-1) took a 1-0 lead by claiming the doubles points with tight 7-5 wins in the second and third flights. Junior Emilien Burnel and sophomore Borna Devald picked up a 7-6 (7-3) win in the top flight. 
 
UTRGV (1-2) clinched the hard-earned win in the tightly contested singles portion of the match. Sophomore Sam Whitehead earned a straight set victory in the No. 4 singles flight, 6-3, 6-2. Senior Chris Lawrance overcame a 6-2 loss in the first set of his No. 6 match to take the next two 6-0, 6-4 and get the win. Burnel also claimed a come-from-behind victory, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the second flight put the Vaqueros on top 3-1. 
 
ORU tied the match at 3-3 with tough three-set wins at No. 5 and No. 3. 
 
With the team victory hanging in the balance, Devald closed out his No. 1 match 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2 to secure the Vaqueros their first win of the season. 
 
UTRGV returns home for a Wednesday match at 1 p.m. against St. Mary's at the Orville Cox Tennis Center. 
 
Complete Results
Singles (4, 6, 2, 5, 3, 1) 
1. Borna Devald (UTRGV) def. Gustavo Pinho (ORU) 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-2 
2. Emilien Burnel (UTRGV) def. Ignacio Vinas (ORU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 
3. Ezequiel Monferrer (ORU) def. Karlo Krolo (UTRGV) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 
4. Sam Whitehead (UTRGV) def. Aaron Brewer (ORU) 6-3, 6-2 
5. Jonathan Evans (ORU) def. Agustin Salazar (UTRGV) 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 
6. Chris Lawrance (UTRGV) def. Kevin Leuenberger (ORU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-4 
 
Doubles (2, 3, 1) 
1. Borna Devald/Emilien Burnel (UTRGV) def. Ezequiel Monferrer/Ignacio Vinas (ORU) 7-6 (7-3) 
2. Gustavo Pinho/Aaron Brewer (ORU) def. Sam Whitehead/Karlo Krolo (UTRGV) 7-5 
3. Kevin Leuenberger/Jonathan Evans (ORU) def. Te Kani Williams/Chris Lawrance (UTRGV) 7-5

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