TYLER, Texas (March 29, 2026) - No. 14 Lubbock Christian University opened Lone Star Conference play in dominant fashion Friday before earning a program milestone victory Saturday in Tyler, sweeping UT Dallas 7-0 in its conference opener in Richardson, Texas and following with a 5-2 road win in Tyler at No. 7 UT Tyler to complete a perfect weekend against conference opponents. The wins push the Chaps to 12-5 overall and 2-0 in Lone Star Conference play, while improving to 7-3 this season against nationally ranked programs.
 
LCU took immediate control of Friday's match in Richardson, recording a clean sweep of the doubles point in the first-ever meeting between the programs. Marco Seccia and Andrea Rossi Principe finished first with a 6-0 win at No. 3 doubles, and Andres De Los Rios and Pablo Segura followed moments later with another 6-0 victory at No. 2. The point was secured when the No.10 nationally ranked No. 1-spot tandem of Mattia Ghedin and Kelly Giese closed out a 6-3 win, giving the Chaps early momentum.
 
That momentum carried directly into singles play, where Ghedin produced the first singles decision with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 3. Rossi Principe followed quickly with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 5, and De Los Rios extended the lead to 4-0 with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 4 to clinch the dual. LCU continued to roll after the clinch, as Segura added a straight-set win at No. 2, Giese followed with a 6-2, 6-3 victory at No. 1, and Seccia closed the afternoon with a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 6 to complete the shutout and give LCU its first win in a conference opener not played against Midwestern State (LCU is 2-2 all-time in conference openers and Friday's opener marked the first not against MSU).
 
The Chaps faced a much tougher test Saturday afternoon in Tyler, but again built their momentum early by claiming the doubles point. Seccia and Rossi Principe once again finished first with a 6-0 win at No. 3 doubles before UT Tyler answered at the No. 2 position behind their No.28 ranked national tandem. The deciding match came down to the top spot, where Ghedin and Giese secured the point with a 6-3 victory over the Patriots' No. 1 tandem, which entered the match No.12 ranked in the nation, extending their winning streak to five matches together.
 
LCU carried that confidence into singles play, where Segura delivered the first point with a convincing 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 2 against nationally ranked No.23 Malo Poulesquen. Seccia followed with a 7-5, 6-3 victory at No. 6 to push the lead to 3-0, but UT Tyler quickly responded with a three-set win at No. 4 (No.15 Samuel Antwi edging out No.17 Andres De Los Rios) and remained within reach as the dual shifted to the top courts.
 
The Chaps regained control when Giese, ranked No. 4 nationally, rallied for a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory at No. 1 against No. 40 Artiom Dorofeev, extending his singles winning streak to 12 matches and pushing the lead to 4-1 to clinch the dual. Moments later at No. 3 singles, Ghedin outlasted No.59 nationally ranked Carel Wessel in a three-set battle (3-6, 6-2, 7-5), giving LCU its first-ever victory over UT Tyler and snapping a five-match series skid against the Patriots.
 
Several players played key roles across the weekend, led by Giese, who went 2-0 at No. 1 singles and 2-0 at No. 1 doubles while extending his winning streak to 12 matches and improving to 25-5 overall this season and 14-1 in dual play, all at the top position. Segura also continued his strong season, earning two singles wins to reach 20 victories for the year (20-9 overall, 12-3 in duals), while Ghedin added a pair of wins and improved to 19-10 overall in singles and 11-4 in dual play. In doubles, the trio of Ghedin and Giese at No. 1, De Los Rios and Segura at No. 2, and Seccia and Rossi Principe at No. 3 combined to go 5-1 over the weekend, with the No. 3 pairing improving to 9-2 this season in dual play.
 
With the two wins, Lubbock Christian (12-5 overall on the season) improves to 7-3 this season against nationally ranked teams (4-3 against Division II ranked opponents), and all five of the Chaps' season losses have come either against nationally ranked opponents or NCAA Division I programs. LCU will return to action Thursday morning in Lawton, Oklahoma, when the Chaps face Cameron at 10 a.m. in Lone Star Conference play.