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Lamar University Athletics

Juan Pablo Alatorre (pictured) and Emilio Kirby won their fourth straight doubles match on Sunday.

Men's Tennis

LU Men Hold Off UT-Pan American, 4-3

April 3, 2005

Results

BEAUMONT - The Lamar men's tennis team snapped a five-match losing skid with a much needed Southland Conference win on Sunday morning, as the Cardinals held off Texas-Pan American, 4-3, at the Cardinal Courts.

The win puts the Cardinals at 9-10 overall and 2-3 in SLC play. UTPA falls to 3-7 on they year with a 1-5 league record. Lamar wraps up the league portion of its regular season next Saturday, Apr. 9 with an 11 a.m. road contest at No. 20 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Sunday's match began with doubles play, where the Cardinals earned the team point with strong play from the No. 2 and No. 3 squads. LU's top team of Dean Clower and Ignacio Melus stumbled against the Broncs' Jeremy Salvo and Rehman Esmail, 8-3. The Cardinals' Emilio Kirby and Juan Pablo Alatorre came through in the clutch at the No. 2 spot, however, earning their fourth straight win and 11th doubles win of the season with an 8-6 victory. The LU No. 3 team of Christian Olivier and David Wanja also emerged victorious with an 8-3 triumph over UTPA's Nik Porter and Pierre Cantu.

With the match still in the balance, the Cardinals received key wins at the No. 1 and No. 6 position to help seal the victory. A senior from Mexico City, Alatorre overcame a 6-2 first-set loss against Gary Bianco, to win the last two sets, 7-6 and 6-4. Fellow Mexico City native Christian Olivier also came through for the Cardinals with a straight set, 6-2, 6-2 win over UTPA's Cantu at the No. 6 position.

After dropping straight set decisions at the No. 2, 4 and 5 slots, LU's Melus recorded the Cardinals third and decisive singles win. The Arica, Chile native topped the Broncs' Porter in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-1, to improve to 10-8 on the year.

Lamar University 4, Texas-Pan American 3
Singles competition:
1. Juan Pablo Alatorre (LAMAR) def. Gary Bianco (UTPA) 2-6, 7-6, 6-4
2. Jeremy Salvo (UTPA) def. Emilio Kirby (LAMAR) 6-4, 6-3
3. Ignacio Melus (LAMAR) def. Nik Porter (UTPA) 6-4, 6-1
4. Oliver Steil (UTPA) def. Dean Clower (LAMAR) 6-4, 7-6
5. Rehman Esmail (UTPA) def. Emmanuel Olivier (LAMAR) 6-1, 6-4
6. Christian Olivier (LAMAR) def. Pierre Cantu (UTPA) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition:
1. Jeremy Salvo/Rehman Esmail (UTPA) def. Dean Clower/Ignacio Melus (LAMAR) 8-3
2. Emilio Kirby/Juan Pablo Alatorre (LAMAR) def. Gary Bianco/Oliver Steil (UTPA) 8-6
3. Christian Olivier/David Wanja (LAMAR) def. Nik Porter/Pierre Cantu (UTPA) 8-3

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Players Mentioned

Juan Alatorre

Juan Alatorre

5' 10"
Redshirt
Dean Clower

Dean Clower

5' 11"
Redshirt
Emilio Kirby

Emilio Kirby

5' 9"
Redshirt
Ignacio Melus

Ignacio Melus

6' 5"
Redshirt
Christian Olivier

Christian Olivier

5' 7"
Redshirt
Emmanuel Olivier

Emmanuel Olivier

5' 9"
Redshirt
David Wanja

David Wanja

6' 0"
Redshirt

Players Mentioned

Juan Alatorre

Juan Alatorre

5' 10"
Redshirt
Dean Clower

Dean Clower

5' 11"
Redshirt
Emilio Kirby

Emilio Kirby

5' 9"
Redshirt
Ignacio Melus

Ignacio Melus

6' 5"
Redshirt
Christian Olivier

Christian Olivier

5' 7"
Redshirt
Emmanuel Olivier

Emmanuel Olivier

5' 9"
Redshirt
David Wanja

David Wanja

6' 0"
Redshirt
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