RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Last year's South Texas Showdown, presented by Rally Credit Union, created an unforgettable moment for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men's tennis team as the Vaqueros snapped a 14-year losing skid to rival Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (AMCC). 
 
UTRGV had lost 21 consecutive matches in the series before a 4-3 victory on Jan. 28, 2024 at the Orville Cox Tennis Center. The Vaqueros (2-6) are trying to make it two in a row at home against the Islanders (6-0) when they face off Thursday at 1:30 p.m. The first 100 fans in attendance will receive a free Beat Corpus t-shirt. 
 
 In last year's home match, the Vaqueros captured the doubles point as returners Paolo Bonaguro, Will Roberts and Ivo Isqueiro all contributed to the early lead. Sam Whitehead and Santiago Serrano picked up two of the three singles victories to secure the win. 
 
The Vaqueros are 14-45 all-time against the Islanders in a series dating back to 1961. UTRGV heads into this big non-conference match with some momentum after capturing back-to-back wins including a home-opening 6-1 victory over Prairie View A&M. 
 
The Vaqueros have used a variety of doubles teams and found consistent success, particularly from the top pair of Serrano and freshman Loic Young Kriegel. UTRGV looks to replicate last year's success by putting together another strong doubles session to gain the early advantage in what should be a tight contest. 
 
The men's match is the second of a Showdown doubleheader and will be played after the women's teams from each university play at 10 a.m. Admission is free for both matches and the public is encouraged to attend. 

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