SAN ANTONIO –The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men’s tennis team fell 5-2 to the Incarnate Word (UIW) Cardinals Saturday at the Mabry Tennis Center. 
 
UTRGV (1-3) clinched its first doubles point of the season with wins on the first and third courts. The top duo of senior Emilien Burnel and junior Sam Whitehead rolled in the No. 1 match to claim a 6-1 win, and the No. 3 team of sophomore McAllen Memorial alum Agustin Salazar and freshman Ivo Isqueiro tabbed the 1-0 lead with a quick 6-1 victory. 
 
The Cardinals (1-0) came back with five consecutive singles victories to secure the match win. UTRGV’s freshmen Santiago Serrano and Paolo Bonaguro showed their resiliency to push their second sets to the brink, but Lamar’s netters held on for wins. 
 
Burnel captured his second singles win in a row with another gritty three-set battle at No. 1. He dropped the first set 6-1 to Tomas Reche, then bounced back nicely to win the next two 6-3, 6-3. 
 
UTRGV will turn around quickly to play at St. Mary’s at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. 
 
UTRGV Results
Doubles 
1. Emilien Burnel/Sam Whitehead (UTRGV) def. Tomas Reche/Antoine Martin-Thiriat (UIW) 6-1 
2. Andoni Garmendia/Joao Sasso (UIW) def. Paolo Bonaguro/Santiago Serrano (UTRGV) 6-4
3. Agustin Salazar/Ivo Isqueiro (UTRGV) def. Arnau Miralles Lopez/Emilio Vila (UIW) 6-1 
 
Singles (2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 1)  
1. Emilien Burnel (UTRGV) def. Tomas Reche (UIW) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 
2. Joao Sasso (UIW) def. Agustin Salazar (UTRGV) 6-3, 6-1  
3. Emilio Vila (UIW) def. Santiago Serrano (UTRGV) 6-2, 7-5  
4. Arnau Miralles Lopez (UIW) def. Ivo Isqueiro (UTRGV) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 
5. Noah DeLuna (UIW) def. Paolo Bonaguro (UTRGV) 6-1, 7-5 
6. Andoni Garmendia (UIW) def. Will Roberts (UTRGV) 7-6 (7:4), 6-4 

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