SAN ANTONIO – Trinity University Men's Tennis fell, 6-3, to visiting NCAA II University of Texas-Permian Basin Sunday afternoon to open the 2023 dual match schedule though the result came through a strong finish in singles.
 
The Tigers fell behind early as they were swept in the doubles session. Juniors Rob Chang (Aiea, Hawaii / lolani School) and Dalton Locke (Humble, Texas / Kingwood) finished closest from the second line, 8-5, against NCAA II's south central region No. 10 duo while seniors Hao Nguyen (Sugar Land, Texas / Strake Jesuit) and Cameron Goldstein (Dallas, Texas / Episcopal) took three games from NCAA II's national No. 19 doubles pair.
 
Nguyen wasted no time putting Trinity on the board as the first singles player to finish in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1. The senior's quick-work victory came against NCAA II's 21^st-ranked player nationally, Takumi Katsuda, who was one half of the line-one doubles team.
 
Chang and first-year Aashish Dhanani (Austin, Texas / Westwood) changed the complexion of the match in the midst of singles play as both Tigers rallied to overcome 6-3 defeats in their respective opening sets and each forced full thirds.
 
Despite the valiant efforts from the fifth and sixth lines, the Falcons were able clinch the match just before sophomore Connor Whittington's (Lake Oswego, Ore. / Lake Oswego) line-three matchup opened its third set, leading to a superbreaker.
 
Dhanani and Chang each finished what they started with 6-4 third-set victories to conclude the afternoon at the Butch Newman Tennis Center. The Tigers nearly had a one-point spread in the team score, though the superbreaker got away from Whittington, 10-6.
 
Up Next
 
Trinity Men's Tennis remains in San Antonio Friday to host Our Lady of the Lake University, the second of four straight non-NCAA III opponents to open the spring schedule.
 
The Tigers will venture up to NCAA I Abilene Christian University the following weekend for bouts with the host Wildcats and Tyler Junior College on February 10.