TYLER, Texas – One day after suffering its first loss of the season, the No. 24-ranked Harding men's tennis team showed its resilience with a 7-0 sweep of the University of Texas Permian Basin on Saturday morning at the TJC Brookshire Community Courts.
The Bisons (5-1) showcased their mental toughness in the victory, winning four matches that required a third set or a tiebreaker to overcome a gritty Falcons squad.
Harding secured the early 1-0 lead by taking the doubles point. While UTPB struck first with a win at the No. 2 spot, the Bisons' top pairing of Sebastian De La Salas and Edoardo D'Arrigo leveled the field with a 6-4 victory. The duo of Luis Agullo and Cian Mikkelsen clinched the point in dominant fashion, cruising to a 6-1 win at the No. 3 position.
Singles play proved to be a battle of endurance. At the top flight, No. 31 Sebastian De La Salas rallied from a set down to defeat Joao D'Amorim 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Cian Mikkelsen followed a similar path at No. 2, displaying ice-water veins to claim a 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 comeback victory over Nehal Naidoo.
Caleb Folse continued his high-level play at No. 3, outlasting Lucas Nakasato 6-3, 7-6, 7-4. At the No. 5 spot, Edoardo D'Arrigo provided the most dramatic comeback of the day; after dropping the opening set 6-2, he stormed back to take the second 6-4 and finished with a flawless 6-0 bagel in the third.
Luis Agullo (No. 4) and Florian Gayme (No. 6) provided the only straight-set victories for the Bisons, with Agullo putting to rest any injury concerns following his retirement in Friday's match by winning 6-2, 6-4.
Harding concludes its grueling Texas road trip tomorrow afternoon with another top-ten test. The Bisons will face No. 5 Lubbock Christian at 11:30 a.m. back at the Summers Tennis Center.
#24 Harding 7, UT Permian Basin 0
Feb 21, 2026 at Tyler, Texas (TJC Brookshire Community Courts)
Singles Competition
-
#31 Sebastian De La Salas (HU) def. Joao D'Amorim (UTPB) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
-
Cian Mikkelsen (HU) def. Nehal Naidoo (UTPB) 3-6, 7-5, 7-5
-
Caleb Folse (HU) def. Lucas Nakasato (UTPB) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
-
Luis Agullo (HU) def. Andrew Hunsley (UTPB) 6-2, 6-4
-
Edoardo D'Arrigo (HU) def. Kabir Chothani (UTPB) 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
-
Florian Gayme (HU) def. Enrique Silveira (UTPB) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles Competition
-
Sebastian De La Salas/Edoardo D'Arrigo (HU) def. Kabir Chothani/Nehal Naidoo (UTPB) 6-4
-
Andrew Hunsley/Lucas Nakasato (UTPB) def. #23 Florian Gayme/Jan Alexander Has (HU) 6-4
-
Luis Agullo/Cian Mikkelsen (HU) def. Joao D'Amorim/Philipp Gaurieder (UTPB) 6-1
Match Notes Harding 5-1; National ranking #24 UT Permian Basin 0-5
