EDINBURG, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word men's tennis team was handed a tough loss at UT-Pan American on Saturday.  In their closest match of the year, the Cardinals dropped a 4-3 result at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.
           
The Cardinals (1-4) lost the first point of the day in the doubles competition, which turned out to be the deciding point of the match.  For the Broncs (2-2), Juan Cruz Soria and Koby Jansen defeated Leonard Ivic and Josip Smoljan 6-3 at the #1 position and Miguel Alvarez-Hevia and Hector Ramirez defeated Philipp Raickovic and Ryan Hoverson 6-3 at the #3 postion.
           
Going into singles play the Cardinals split the count with the Broncs with each team winning three matches.  Leonard Ivic, Tucker Brown and Ryan Hoverson each won their matches for UIW. Both Ivic and Hoverson took their matches to three sets and fought to win in the tie break.  Ivic defeated Cruz Soria 6-4, 2-6, 10-7, while Hoverson came back to defeat Ethan Ammon 0-6, 6-0, 6-4.

The Cardinals are back in action next weekend at the Mabry Tennis Center when they host Trinity University on Saturday at 10 a.m.
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