AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's tennis team went into the capital city and saw its unbeaten start come to an end Saturday afternoon, but not without showing fight against one of the nation's elite programs at #7 Texas.
The Islanders (7-1) dropped a 7-0 decision to No. 7 Texas at the Texas Tennis Center, marking their first loss of the spring coming against a nationally ranked opponent. Despite the final score, A&M-Corpus Christi flashed competitiveness throughout the match, particularly in doubles play, before momentum swung to the Longhorns.
"I thought we battled with great heart and fight today against one of the best teams in the nation!" said head coach
Steve Moore. "Texas is always a national contender, and they certainly are again this year. They are so coached up and mentally tough by Coach Bruce Berque and his staff. They really play every point with intensity. They say you're either winning or learning and today we did some learning, but this makes us better, tougher, stronger, and smarter! I thought we brought a lot of positives into this match and did a great job with our fight and energy! Matt and Mikel got up 4-2 at No. 1 doubles when the match was stopped which was a great result for us, I think those guys show they can play with anyone in the nation! Onward and upward for the Islanders."
At No. 1 doubles, the Islanders' pairing of
Mikel Garmendia and
Matthieu Coignet set the tone early, jumping out to a 4-2 lead against Sebastian Gorzny and Lucas Marionneau. Before the match could reach a conclusion, however, doubles play was halted after Texas secured the doubles point at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions.
In singles, the Islanders continued to battle against a deep Texas lineup. Marty was competitive at the No. 3 spot, pushing Braswell with a 4-6 first set before falling in straight sets. Dasset also showed resilience at No. 4 singles, working through long rallies against Marionneau, while Garmendia took on Dedura-Palomero at No. 5 against another ranked-caliber opponent.
Texas clinched the match in singles play and went on to complete the sweep, but the Islanders gained valuable experience against one of the country's top teams. Several matches featured extended games and physical points, underscoring A&M-Corpus Christi's ability to compete at a high level early in the season.
The Islanders now turn the page with a 7-1 record, carrying confidence forward after testing themselves against a top-10 program. Next up will be the South Texas Showdown as the Islanders welcome UTRGV in a nonconference matchup for their home opener Wednesday.
A&M-Corpus Christi Tennis
- 17 NCAA Tournaments
- 37 SLC Championships
- 4 Top-40 National Rankings
- 3.0 GPA 43 Straight Semesters
- Islanders have received a No. 3 seed at the NCAA Tournament three times
- Women's tennis has cracked the ITA top-75 national rankings three times
- Men's tennis has cracked the ITA national rankings 10 consecutive years
- Ranked nationally in NCAA DI as high as No. 35 for the men and No. 60 for the women
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