The nationally ranked St. Edward’s University men’s and women’s tennis teams both found their first win of the 2015 season with dominating 9-0 victories against Texas Lutheran University.

Ranked No. 23, by the Intercollegiate Association (ITA), the St. Edward’s men’s team and No. 32 women’s team competed in back-to-back matches on Saturday afternoon at the Strohmeyer Varsity Courts.

In singles play, St. Edward’s came away with victories at each of the singles matches. Patrick Clynes finished his No. 1 match with a count of 6-1, 6-0.

Ricardo Pineda’s 6-0, 6-4 victory was his first singles collegiate victory of his career. At No. 3, Felix Bake won 6-3, 6-3, and Maximo Agoglia finished in the No.4 spot with a perfect 6-0, 6-0 count.

Patrick Clynes and Maximo Agoglia won, 8-1 and doubles featured Felix Bake and Ricardo Pineda accomplished a, 8-3 feat. Freshman combo of Davor Ivkovic and Sotiris Tsioumas earned their first collegiate victories with an 8-2 win.

“I think this is an amazing group of student athletes and I am very pleased with the team’s development so far,” Men’s Head Coach Estevam Strecker said. “We have worked very hard in the pre-season to be in a good shape and I think we are there.”

The women’s team dominated the doubles portion in each of its three matches. In doubles, Sasha Khadzhyan and Brooke Hughes came out on top with a score of 8-2. Fran Chaher and Ivana Zecevic won with an 8-2 score.

Marissa Williams and Rafaela Haegele did not lose a single game at No. 3 with an 8-0 score.

As the women began their singles matches, Khadzhyan lost her first set, but fought back in the second and super sets with a come-from-behind victory, 2-6, 6-3, 10-4. Khadzhyan earned her first Heartland Conference player of the week after this performance. 

Summer Biggs finished in her match with a score of 6-0, 6-3 to secure the victory.

Ivana Zecevic won her first collegiate singles match. Vanessa Camara also accomplished her first collegiate singe victory with a perfect 6-0, 6-0.

Women’s tennis Head Coach Kendall Brooks was pleased with her team’s performance this weekend.

“The effort and intensity was really high in every match and I think that is what we are going to need to be successful this season,” Brooks said.

On Friday, the women’s tennis team competed against the NCAA Division I United States Air Force Academy.

St. Edward’s had the upper hand early in each of its doubles matches but Air Force managed to come back each time, winning two of the three matches.

Five of the six singles matches were also won by the Air Force. Khadzhyan won her match at by a score of 0-6, 7-5 and 10-5 in the super set.

“Many people get discouraged when they hear that they have to play against Division I schools, but it wasn’t the case here,” Khadzhyan said. “I knew I had nothing to lose and a lot to win. Great support from my team and wise words from my coach helped me to bring home the win.”