LUBBOCK – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's tennis program has not shied away from facing the premier teams in college tennis in recent years. 
 
Friday, the Vaqueros will play their 12^th and 13^th matches against a Power Five opponent in head coach Nathan Robinson's three years leading the program. UTRGV (3-6) will take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-3) in a doubleheader at the McLeod Tennis Center, with the first match set for 12 p.m. and the second scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. 
 
"Texas Tech is a Big XII school and they're going to bring big talent and fight, so we have to be ready for it," Robinson said. "Always the goal is to go there and get a win and compete well. Since my first year here to this year, we're seeing that when we go play these schools now, we're fighting and competing and winning in spots and pushing these teams." 
 
The Vaqueros are 10-18 all-time against the Red Raiders in a series dating back to 1961. UTRGV's last win came in 1981. When the teams met last February, Texas Tech took a 7-0 win in Lubbock, but senior Emilien Burnel almost picked up a doubles win over TTU's No. 26 ranked doubles team. Burnel and his partner were leading 5-4 in the No. 1 bout when the match went unfinished as the Red Raiders secured the doubles point. 
 
Texas Tech's 2024 squad features the No. 55 and No. 80 ranked singles players in Div. I in Reed Collier and Olle Wallin. 
 
"The reason we want to play these schools is it prepares us as well as we can be prepared for anybody that we're going to play. Our guys will understand what works and what doesn't work at the highest level, so when we step back in level a little bit, they're very, very prepared for that," Robinson said. 
 
UTRGV is looking to bounce back after a tough weekend in Louisiana. They've been focused on consistency in their levels and the energy they're bringing to the courts in every practice and every competition. Playing with a younger roster brings some expected ups and downs, but the Vaqueros are growing as a team and learning every day. 
 
The conditions will be a little different in Lubbock with a slightly higher elevation, drier air and plenty of wind. Freshman Paolo Bonaguro feels the team is ready for the challenge and on a good path as UTRGV heads to a tough stretch in the schedule. 
 
"We have been working on a lot of doubles stuff to get that point. It's going to be tough conditions, but we're going to compete and do our best," Bonaguro said. "I think this season is going very good. We've played a lot of matches and we've had good results. The team energy is so good. We're feeling super together and I think overall, this is a good year for us." 

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