San Antonio – St. Mary’s final preparation for the Heartland Conference Tournament had star Marcin Marczweski pulling in half of the Rattlers’ total points in the final three games of the season, but it proved to be not enough against the tough competitors.

The Rattlers (9-14) picked up three losses in their final games of the season that included a defeat to cross-town rival Incarnate Word.

Played in Dallas, the Rattlers’ top two players came away with the only match points in the 7-2 loss to East Central. Marczewski (Sr., Warsaw, Poland) started the day off with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Stefan Stein, followed by Andrej Klipa (Jr., Belgrade, Serbia) charging Carlos Muro in a statement 6-1, 6-0 match point. Nestor Moreno (Sr., Bogota, Colombia) and Carlos Olea (So., Matamoros, Mexico) both had close calls with victory, as each battled in a three-set match but fell 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 and 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, respectively.

St. Mary’s continued its away games Friday in a never-welcomed shutout against rival Incarnate Word, 8-0. Marczweski was absent from Friday’s game but the rest of the Rattlers’ talent was not, as both Klipa and Olea nearly missed victory in their singles competitions, falling 7-6, 7-6. Olea and Jake Williams (Sr., Dallas) gave Carlos Olvera and Aiden De Leon trouble on the doubles court but, fell 9-7.

Back in action for the final game of the season Saturday against Trinity University, Marczewski charged to pick up a point in both his singles and doubles matches to tally his total to three points over the Rattlers’ six-point, three-game trek. Marczewski gave his opponent on the singles court no room to breathe as he picked up the win in a 6-3, 6-1 win. Marczewski teamed up with Klipa to continue his winning ways as they defeated the doubles competition in an 8-6 victory. Back on the singles court, Williams had a marathon victory over four sets to win it 2-6, 7-6, (9-7), 6-2. Olea also went into extra sets to defeat A. Skinner 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

The Ratters will have to put their three losses behind them as the Heartland Conference Tournament takes place this Friday. St. Mary’s will compete in the race for the conference championship Friday in Austin, Texas.

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