Tech’s flawless singles play leads them to 6-1 win over SIUE
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team soared during singles play, rallying back from an early doubles setback en route to taking all six singles tilts on the way to a 6-1 win over SIU Edwardsville.
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team soared during singles play, rallying back from an early doubles setback en route to taking all six singles tilts on the way to a 6-1 win over SIU Edwardsville. The victory keeps the Golden Eagles (10-6, 6-0) undefeated in conference play and gives TTU a chance to clinch at least a share of the regular season championship with a win Saturday at Eastern Illinois.
Despite entering the clash with the Cougars (7-12, 3-3) a perfect 10-0 in tandem action during its conference campaign, Tech dropped a doubles match for the first time in OVC play. In fact, TTU was upended in two of the three doubles tilts, giving SIUE the doubles point and an early 1-0 advantage in the match.
The Cougars captured the top two doubles affairs with the combination of senior Patrick Gaffigan and Tristan Houle sliding past junior Alberto Esteban and sophomore Eduardo Mena, 6-4, in the top spot, while the duo of sophomore Jack Desse and junior Matthew Hutchinson topped senior Alvaro Cintas and sophomore Marcos Bernardes, 6-2, in the No. 2 slot.
Tech's youthful tandem of freshman Guillermo Nicolas and sophomore Jorge Alfonzo did not finish its match against freshman Dan Lineberry and senior Nico Kuehn in the No. 3 position.
Eduardo Mena helped Tech bounce back in singles play, setting the tone early with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Matthew Hutchinson out of the top spot to square the match at 1-1. The win made it nine-straight for the Bultrago del Lozoya, Spain native, running his spring singles record to a gaudy 15-1.
Mena's nod set of a string of sophomore success as both Marcos Bernardes and Jorge Alfonzo registered wins to jump Tech within a point of clinching the match. Bernardes took out Dan Lineberry, 6-3, 6-2, out of the No. 4 slot, while Alfonzo powered past Nico Kuehn, 6-3, 6-0, out of the No. 5 position. With the wins, Bernardes and Alonzo each move to 5-1 in OVC singles action.
TTU officially clinched the match behind an Alberto Esteban 6-3, 6-3 victory against Tristan Houle out of the No. 2 spot, pushing the Golden Eagles edge to 4-1 to spell curtains for the Cougars.
Tech then completed its unblemished day of singles action with a Guillermo Nicolas 6-2, 7-6 win over Patrick Gaffigan out of the No. 3 position to keep Nicolas undefeated in the OVC, and an 8-4 Carlos Tajes triumph against Jack Deese out of the No. 6 slot in a match that was determined would only go one set.
TTU will search to keep its perfect run alive Saturday at Eastern Illinois, tangling with the Panthers at 11 a.m. CT.
