Men’s tennis loses battle for conference title

By Nina De Leon

LOGOS SPORTSWRITER

The No. 1-seeded University of the Incarnate Word men’s tennis team came very close to winning another Southland Conference tennis championship Saturday, April 20, but lost 3-4 to the No. 2 team.

The match between the Cardinals, who had an undefeated (4-0) in regular-season conference play, and the Highlanders of New Jersey Institute of Technology came down to the wire at McFarlin Tennis Center.

Overall, the Cardinals had an outstanding season by holding a remarkable 11-1 homestand that led to an 18-4 overall record, earning Head Coach Jonas Andersson the Coach of the Year award

Six Cardinals received all-conference awards. Emilio Vila, a junior from Jalisco, Mexico, won Newcomer of the Year and Doubles first-team awards. Villa, who started the season ranked No. 124 in the nation, also finished 16-5 in singles play and 11-3 in doubles play. His partner, Tomas Reche, a senior from Pinamar, Buenos Aires, Argentina, was able to take home both Single First Team and Doubles First Team awards after finishing 5-0 in the No. 3 spot in singles play and 11-3 in doubles play. Senior Andoni Garmendia from Chile won Singles First Team and Doubles Second Team awards. Garmendia finished 15-2 in singles play, including a 6-0 record. He and his doubles partner, Joao Sasso, a senior from Porto Alegre, Brazil, picked up 12 wins, 11 of which came at the No. 1 position. Arnau Miralles, a senior from Tarragona, Catalunya, won Singles First Team and Doubles First Team awards. He had a 13-4 record in singles play. San Antonio native Noah DeLuna, a senior, won the Doubles First Team award after teaming up with Miralles and reaching a 13-4 overall mark. Lastly, Sasso picked up the Doubles Second Team award after spending most of his time in the No. 1 position in singles. Sasso recorded 11 wins for the Cardinals.

Mirralles and Reche both were named conference “Players of the Week” in March.

“Being awarded Player of the Week was a reward to the great teamwork we had been doing the whole semester,” said Mirralles, who recorded a .765 winning percentage in singles play. “It was definitely a sweet moment from this season. I happened to win some matches in a row that ended up helping the team.”