January 28, 2012

Golden Eagles nab first win of season, topping UNCG 4-3 in Memphis

Vasily Eremeev captured the final match of the day, breaking a 3-3 tie to clinch a 4-3 victory for the Tennessee Tech tennis team as the Golden Eagles outlasted UNC Greensboro Saturday in Memphis.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Tech men's tennis team found itself trailing several times Saturday againt UNC Greensboro, but the Golden Eagles pulled everything together to close the day with a come-from-behind, 4-3 victory to give coach Kenny Doyle's team its first dual match win of the season.

Tech traiiled 1-0 after dropping the double point and went down 2-0 when UNCG claimed a point in the first singles contest to finish. Golden Eagle players were the next two winners to close out their matches to tie the day's score at 2-2, but the Spartans took another lead at 3-2.

That set the stage for Justin Kirstein and Vasily Eremeev to finish the team's work with straight-set wins at the lower two singles events, allowing Tech to pull out the 4-3 win. Kirstein and Eremeev were double winners for Tech pairing up to claim their doubles match in the no. 3 spot.

Now 1-3, the Golden Eagles will play a match at Elon University on Friday for their only action of the week.

UNCG got off to a solid start by winning the doubles point. Ahmet Sarioglu and Orcun Seyrek got UNCG started by rolling to an 8-2 win over Syrym Abdukhailikov and Artem Tarasov at no. 1 doubles. Kirstein and Eremeev pulled the Golden Eagles even with an 8-3 win over Jimmy Roueche and Cameron Smith at no. 3.

Randy Phillips and Chanon Varapongsittikul clinched the point for the Spartans at no. 2, taking an 8-4 win over Alex Chen and Alejandro Augusto Bueno.

In singles play, Phillips put UNCG up 2-0 with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Tarasov at no. 4. Abdukhailikov put TTU on the board with its first poont, claiming a 6-4, 6-4 win over Seyrek at no. 1, and Bueno evened the match with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Varapongsittikul at No. 3.

Sarioglu made it 3-2 in the Spartans' favor, overcoming a first-set setback to take a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 win over Chen at no. 2.

That left things in the hands of Kirstein and Eremeev, and both Golden Eagles came through. Kirstein topped Smith at no. 5, 6-2, 6-4, to again draw TTU level, while Eremeev clinched the match at No. 6 with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Roueche.

Tennessee Tech 4, UNCG 3 (at Memphis, Tenn.)

Singles
1. Syrym Abdukhailikov (TTU) def. Orcun Seyrek (UNCG), 6-4, 6-4
2. Ahmet Sarioglu (UNCG) def. Alex Chen (TTU), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
3. Alejandro Augusto Bueno (TTU) def. Chanon Varapongsittikul (UNCG), 7-5, 7-5
4. Randy Phillips (UNCG) def. Artem Tarasov (TTU), 6-4, 6-2
5. Justin Kirstein (TTU) def. Cameron Smith (UNCG), 6-2, 6-4
6. Vasily Eremeev (TTU) def. Jimmy Roueche (UNCG), 6-3, 6-1
Order of finish: 4,1,3,2,5,6

Doubles
1. Seyrek/Sarioglu (UNCG) def. Abdukhailikov/Tarasov (TTU), 8-2
2. Phillips/Varapongsittikul (UNCG) def. Chen/Bueno (TTU), 8-4
3. Kirstein/Eremeev (TTU) def. Roueche/Smith (UNCG), 8-3
Order of finish: 1,3,2