ARLINGTON, Texas– The UT Arlington men's tennis team (9-7) fell 4-0 to Oklahoma on Thursday at the UTA Tennis Center.
 
The Mavericks made a strong showing in doubles action, but could not overcome the Sooners for the early lead.
 
Anton Shepp and Solano Caffarena started off strong by taking the first match on Court 1 over Alex Martinez and Justin Schlageter. After going down 3-1, Shepp and Caffarena broke back and brought the score to 3-2. At 3-3, Shepp played an impressive point at the net to break again, giving the pair a 4-3 lead. Caffarena followed with a hold of serve, then Shepp hit a winner for a break and the match, winning 6-3.
 
The Sooners fought back on Court 2, taking the next match over Santiago Giamichelle and Dante Teramo. Jordan Hasson and Siphos Montsi took the early lead, going up a double break and 4-1. Teramo and Giamichelle held their next service games, but they could not overcome Hasson and Montsi, dropping the match 6-3.
 
The doubles point came down to a battle on Court 3. Lachlan Robertson and Joan Torres Espinosa fought hard against Luis Alvarez and Nathan Han, but ultimately fell. The Mavs started out strong by breaking to win the first game with a passing shot from Espinosa. He then won his next service game, giving the pair a 2-0 lead. After a hold and a break, the Sooners brought the score back to 3-3. They held serve for the next game, earning a 4-3 advantage over the Mavs.
 
With the match staying on-serve, Robertson hits two aces to bring the score to 6-6 and force a tiebreaker. The Sooners built on an early lead in the tiebreaker and proceeded to win the match 7-6 (3).
 
The Mavericks could not overcome the early deficit, with the Sooners taking the next three points to clinch the match.
 
Shepp was the first to fall on Court 1 against Martinez. Martinez came out strong to take the first set 6-0. He only allowed Shepp one game before finishing off the second set 6-0. Shepp maintains a 10-5 record for the season.
 
The Sooners followed up with another strong win over Espinosa on Court 1. Han earned an early break over Espinosa, then finished the first set 6-1. After going down 3-1, Espinosa could not overcome the No. 121 ranked player in the nation, dropping the second set 6-1.
 
The match was clinched on Court 4, with Schlageter taking the final win over Robertson. After getting broken early in the first set, Robertson fought back at 5-2 to bring the score to 5-4. He held serve in order to bring the score to 5-4, but could not overcome Schlageter, who took the set 6-4.
 
The second set followed in a similar manner, with Robertson bringing the score back to 3-2 with a volley winner after going down a break. After getting broken again, aggressive ground strokes from the baseline helped Robertson break back to bring the score to 3-3. The rest of the match went back and forth until Schlageter held serve to win the match 6-4 for the Sooners.
 
Giamichelle, Caffarena and Teramo did not get to finish their matches after Oklahoma clinched the win.
 
Giamichelle was up 4-2 in the second set after losing a close first set 7-5 to Hasson. Caffarena was up a set and 5-4 over Montsi when the match was called. Teramo was down one set and down 3-1 in the second to Luis Alvarez.
 
The Mavericks will be back in action on Sunday for their first WAC match against UT Rio Grande Valley. They will face the Vaqueros at 10 a.m. at the UTA Tennis Center.
 
UTA 0, OU 4
Singles

1. Alex Martinez (OU) def. Anton Shepp (UTA) 6-0, 6-1
2. Unfinished
3. Unfinished
4. Justin Schlageter (OU) def. Lachlan Robertson (UTA) 6-4, 6-4
5. Nathan Han (OU) def. Joan Torres Espinosa (UTA) 6-1, 6-1
6. Unfinished

Doubles

1. Anton Shepp/Solano Caffarena (UTA) def. Alex Martinez/Justin Schlageter (OU) 6-3
2. Jordan Hasson/Siphos Montsi (OU) def. Santiago Giamichelle/Dante Teramo (UTA) 6-3
3. Luis Alvarez/Nathan Han (OU) def. Lachlan Robertson/Joan Torres Espinosa (UTA) 7-6 (3)

 
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