LOUISIANA Là — On a day when second-year coach Justin McGrath said farewell to two seniors, the No. 54-ranked UL Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns men’s tennis team took an emotionally-charged 6-1 victory over Southern Mississippi Saturday at the Cajun Courts.

UL (9-9) snapped a two-match losing streak with the victory. The loss for Southern Miss (7-13) is its fourth in the last five matches.

Seniors Marc Castellana and Michael Tarkowski were honored during Senior Day festivities before the match began.

In doubles, Castellana and Corduneanu crushed David Canudas and Dylan Mezey 8-0 at the No. 1 spot. Ivan Kovalev and Amanjot Singh knocked off Thomas Funke and Juan Garzon 8-5.

Robin Ley and Shaun Ellison did not finish their doubles match against Reid Bourgeois and Christopher Rea because the Cajuns had already clinched the doubles point.

In singles, No. 98-ranked Evghenii Corduneanu needed just two sets to defeated No. 113 David Canudas 6-4, 6-4. Singh and Castellana eased past Marc Lux and Garzon, respectively.

At the No. 4 spot, Ley needed a third-set tiebreak to defeat Bourgeois 4-6, 6-3, 10-8. Ellison handled Funke 6-0, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot.

The only loss for the Cajuns came at the No. 6 spot, where Dylan Mezey defeated senior Michael Tarkowski 6-4, 6-3 in his final home match of his career.

“It was an emotional day as a coach,” McGrath said. “The guys came out played for Marc and Michael and the scores reflect it. The guys (Marc and Michael) have given a lot to this program.”

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