BEAUMONT, TX. – The University of the Incarnate Word tennis team battled from start to finish in a 5-2 win over Lamar University, claiming at least a share of the 2026 Southland Conference Regular Season Title on Tuesday from the Thompson Family Tennis Center.

Incarnate Word improves to 12-3 overall with a perfect 4-0 SLC record, while Lamar falls to 12-12 with a 3-2 conference mark.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Lamar opened with two wins in double play to gain an early 1-0 lead in the match. LU won at Nos. 1 and 3, but a 6-3 victory at No. 2 from the duo of Alejandro Hernandez and Alexandre Chauvel avoided the sweep.
• In singles play, Incarnate Word grad student Emilio Vila kicked things off with a dominant 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 2, followed by a 6-0, 6-3 win at No. 4 from freshman Augustin Salazar to put UIW ahead 2-1 in the match.
• Hernandez added another point to the Incarnate Word total with a 6-0, 1-6, 6-4 win on court one before Lamar rallied for a win at No. 6 in a three-set thriller to keep the match alive.
• The three-set trend continued across the final two matchups with UIW coming out on top in a 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 victory at No. 5 by freshman Santiago Flyckt and a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) marathon decision at No. 3 by sophomore Marcel Miralles to complete the win.

UP NEXT
Incarnate Word puts its perfect conference record on the line in the season finale against Texas A&M - Corpus Christi on Saturday, April 11 at the Mabry Tennis Center. 

With a win on Saturday, UIW will lay claim to an outright SLC title, while the Islanders and their 3-1 League mark will be fighting for a share of the regular season crown with a victory.