BEAUMONT, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word men's tennis team had a strong weekend at the Ron Wesbrooks Invitational hosted by Lamar University at the Thompson Family Tennis Center. (Singles, Doubles)

Josip Smoljan and Joey Vatanadilok dominated the flight one singles competition for the Cardinals.  Smoljan was perfect in pool A winning three straight matches without dropping a set.  He knocked off Jonah Candelario of Tyler Junior College 6-3, 7-6; Elliot Johnstone of UT Rio Grande Valley 7-5, 6-4 and J. Hoogenboezem of Lamar 7-5, 6-4.  Vatanadilok defeated Ciro Lampasas of TJC 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 and Juan Cruz Soria of UTRGV 6-4, 7-5 before dropping a match to Benny Schweizer of Lamar 7-6, 2-6, 6-0. 

The two Cardinals met in the finals of flight one.  It was Smoljan who came out on top 7-6, 6-4.

Francisco Bendana played well in flight two going 2-1 in pool play.  He lost to TJC's Logan Powell 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.  He came back and defeated UTRGV's Yehonathan Kaufman 6-3, 7-5 and Lamar's Juuso Laitinen 6-1, 6-2.  He then knocked off another player from Lamar, Steven McMullan, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to finish in third place.

Ryan Hoverson also picked up a pair of singles win in flight three before finishing in fourth place.

The doubles team of Bendana and Vatanadilok lost in the flight one semifinals and then defeated teammates Sebastian Mortier and Smoljan to take third place.

The Cardinals are now preparing for the ITA Regionals that will be played in Houston starting on Friday.
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