RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's tennis team will face a familiar foe on Friday at 10 a.m. at the Orville Cox Tennis Center as the Lamar Cardinals come to town for a non-conference match. 
 
Historically, UTRGV (3-3) vs. Lamar (3-4) is a tightly contested matchup. The Vaqueros are 10-13 all-time against the Cardinals, formerly a Western Athletic Conference (WAC) opponent now competing in the Southland Conference. Lamar was victorious the last two times these teams faced each other, but both matches were played in Beaumont. The Vaqueros have fared well against Lamar when playing at home, and they're confident they can continue that trend on Friday. 
 
"Lamar is a good team, but I truly believe we are better. We are ready to take the win," sophomore Karlo Krolo said. "Everyone has been playing really well so far. We're talking with our coaches on a daily basis and we know what to do in what moment. I think we'll be fine, we just need to do what we know we need to do." 
 
UTRGV is working through some early season injuries, leading to some mixing around the lineup. But the Vaqueros haven't let that bother them and have been competitive in every match this season, including against some premiere teams like Oklahoma State and SMU. Head coach Nathan Robinson is pleased with how the team has been performing. 
 
"We're a little nicked up here and there, but overall, we're pretty happy with the level we've been finding and how we've been able to compete in every match we've played," Robinson said. "We're seeing good progression and seeing stuff from the practice court coming out on match day, which is huge. The reason we play those OSU, SMU type of teams is so we can get exposed in areas. We saw some things we need to get better at. We've really stressed the importance of not giving away free stuff and quickly understanding when damage is done and how to attack. That's the main thing we've focused on and the guys have really understood it and taken it to heart." 
 
After opening the season with six matches in eight days, the Vaqueros have enjoyed a full week of practice ahead of Friday's battle with Lamar. They're working on improving "our 80 percent ball, our shot capacity and not going for too much too soon." UTRGV wants to lean on its knowledge of Lamar's squad to jump on top early and get back in the win column in a good match. 
 
"It's going to be a tough match. Lamar made the finals of the WAC Tournament last year so we know they're a tough team, well coached and gritty. We know most of their players, so we have good ideas of what we have to be able to do to win," Robinson said. "Being on the home courts will be great. It's going to be a very energetic, tough match so come out Friday and cheer us on. It's going to be a lot of fun. Hope to see you there." 

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