For Immediate Release: April 16, 2002
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Director of Athletic Media Relations (956) 381-2240

BRONCS SWEEP SLU, LAMAR

BEAUMONT, TX –Prior to Thursday’s matches against Southeastern Louisiana and Lamar, The University of Texas-Pan American’s Head Tennis Coach Todd Chapman was concerned about having to play twice on a hot day.

Chapman didn't have to worry. His Broncs defeated Southeastern Louisiana in a Southland Conference match, 6-1, then downed SLC rival Lamar, 4-0, in a non-conference match at Lamar’s tennis facility Tuesday.

Junior Matt Gower (Somerset, England/Kings of Wessex HS/St. Francis-PA) of the Broncs went 4-0, defeating Southeastern Louisiana’s Eric Subirats at number one singles, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, then defeating the Cardinals’ Jakob Paulsen at number one, 6-3, 6-3. He teamed with senior Kareem Abdullah (Clarendon, TX/Clarendon HS/Seward County CC) to defeat Subirats and Paul Birkett of SLU at number two doubles, 8-5, then combined with Abdullah to down LU’s Paulsen and Juan Pablo Alatorre, 8-1.

Freshmen Filip Koziell (Calgary, AB/Bishop Carroll HS) and Jeremy Salvo (Coquitlam, BC/Centennial Secondary) each won three times, losing only at number one doubles to Lamar’s John Guerrero and Edgar Gonzalez, 9-8 (13-11).

“We played well against two solid teams,” said UTPA Head Coach Todd Chapman. “Matt Gower played great in singles, and our two and three doubles teams played as well as they have all year. Filip and Jeremy also played very well in both singles and doubles. It was a solid performance, and one we will try to build on for conference.”

The Broncs improved to 9-8, 3-3 in Southland Conference play with the victories. SLU dropped to 6-13 and 1-4, while Lamar fell to 6-12. The Lamar match did not count in SLC play because the teams met earlier in the season, and that match was the designated conference match. 

The Broncs will return to action when they play their final home match of the season Thursday, and exhibition against Laredo Community College at 11 a.m. The women will play their final home match as well Thursday, hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 4 p.m.

UTPA 6, SLU 1

DOUBLES

1-Filip Koziell and Jeremy Salvo, UTPA, defeated Thomas Comba and Matt Tate, 8-5
2-Matt Gower and Kareem Abdullah, UTPA, defeated Paul Birkett and Eric Subirats, 8-5
3-Tom Mangleschots and Neil Barraclough, UTPA, defeated Brian Bogus and Milos Vasovic, 8-4

SINGLES

1-Gower, UTPA,  defeated Subirats, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
2-Mangleschots, UTPA, defeated Comba, 6-2, 6-2
3-Koziell, UTPA, defeated Tate, 6-1, 6-2
4-Salvo, UTPA, defeated Birkett, 6-3, 6-0
5-Vasovic, SLU, defeated Abdullah, 6-3, 6-3
6-Barraclough, UTPA, defeated Bogus, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)

UTPA 4, LAMAR 0

DOUBLES

1-John Guerrero and Edgar Gonzalez, Lamar, defeated Filip Koziell and Jeremy Salvo, 9-8 (13-11)
2-Matt Gower and Kareem Abdullah, UTPA, defeated Jakob Paulsen and Juan Pablo Alatorre, 8-1
3-Tom Mangleschots and Neil Barraclough, UTPA, defeated Naeem Kath and Christian Oliver, 8-2

SINGLES

1-Gower, UTPA, defeated Paulsen, 6-3, 6-3
2-Mangleschots, UTPA, defeated Gonzalez, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
3-Koziell, UTPA, defeated Alatorre, 7-6, 6-4

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