TYLER -- The UT Tyler tennis teams were in action again on Saturday, with the men defeating Oklahoma Christian 5-4 and the women dropping their season opener, 7-2 to Dallas Baptist.  The second women's match against Henderson State was canceled due to weather.

The men (2-0) won a thriller against last season's NAIA National Champion Oklahoma Christian, who now plays in NCAA DII division.  

Ryan Ybarra and Daniel Brown were once again stellar, teaming up to defeat the No. 8 ranked doubles team in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, 9-7.  

The win was the only one out of three doubles matches, giving the Eagles the 2-1 advantage going into the singles matchups.

Ybarra defeated Martin Poboril 6-2, 6-3 in No. 1 singles action, while Brown followed suit, winning 6-4, 6-4 over Bruno Tiberti in No. 2 doubles action.

After Ramon Martinez won his match, 6-3, 6-1, the outcome of the entire match came down to Ryan Spencer.

Spencer took won a nail-biter in the unfriendly conditions, winning 7-5, 7-5 over OC's Paulo Roessle, clinching the match for the Patriots.

For the ladies, Nicole Musgni won the No. 6 singles matchup over Dallas Baptist's Alexa Mentesana 6-0, 6-1, and also helped the Patriots win in No. 3 doubles.

Musgni and Rita Janae Warren defeated DBU's Mentesana and Leah Smith 8-5 for the only win in doubles action.

The UT Tyler women will have a few days off before hosting Laverne College (Ca.) on February 17 at 1 p.m.

The men will have a couple of weeks before they take on Hardin-Simmons on February 23 at 9 a.m. in Abielene, followed by a  match with Howard Payne at 2 p.m. in Brownwood on the same day.