| Sophomore Max Stratmann won both his matches on Saturday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? The UTSA men’s tennis team dropped a 4-3 heart-breaker to Laredo Community College in its home opener on Saturday at the UTSA Tennis Center.
The teams split the first two doubles matches of the day. The No. 2 pair of freshman Pedro Zanotelli and sophomore Max Stratmann made quick work of Luis Campos and Mateos Campos, 8-3, but junior Jorge Delgado and freshman Shariq Khan lost to Jose Carlos Tolentino and Roberto Mateos, 8-6 at the No. 3 slot. The critical point came down to the top pairing of junior Rodrigo Morgado and sophomore Daniel Moreiras, but the duo could not hold off Moacir Santos and Cledson Carvalho and dropped the match, 8-6, which gave the point to the Palominos.
In singles action Delgado was the first off the court and he knocked off Mateos Campos in their No. 5 match, 6-3, 6-1. Zanotelli fell to Carvalho at the No. 2 position shortly thereafter, 6-4, 6-4, giving the lead back to Laredo CC, 2-1. The Palominos then took a commanding 3-1 lead when Tolentino defeated senior Andre Moreira at the No. 3 slot, 6-2, 6-2.
The Roadrunners fought back to tie the match at three behind strong performances by Stratmann and Moreiras at the Nos. 4 and No. 6 spots, respectively. Moreiras beat Mateos, 7-5, 6-2, at the No. 6 position to pull UTSA within one point at 3-2. Stratmann then grinded out a tough 3-setter, beating Luis Campos, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2.
As was the case with doubles, the last match on the court was the No. 1 duel between Morgado and Santos. Santos clinched the victory for Laredo CC, outlasting Morgado, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2.
“I knew my team had its work cut out for them today,” head coach Dr.Oliver Trittenwein said after the match. “The top half of Laredo’slineup is extremely talented and they were just a little too much forus today.”
UTSA will wrap up its weekend homestand on Sunday afternoon when it hosts St. Edward’s in a 2 p.m. contest.