March 18, 2017

Golden Eagles put together dominant showing in OVC opener with EIU

The Tennessee Tech tennis team unwrapped its conference season in impressive fashion Saturday afternoon, routing Eastern Illinois, 7-0, in the 2017 home opener.

Team Stats

Game Statistics	Eastern Illinois	Tennessee Tech
Score	0	7

Doubles

MENA, Eduardo / BERNARDES, Marcos def. KINGSMITH, Gage / REIMAN, Grant 6-4
ESTEBAN, Alberto / NICOLAS, Guillermo def. REIMAN, Trent / AMMER, Ferdinand 6-2
ALFONZO, Jorge / TAJES, Carlos def. WOODSON, Jared / WENDELL, Jacob FINAL - UNFINISHED

Singles

MENA, Eduardo def. KINGSMITH, Gage 6-2 , 6-1
BERNARDES, Marcos def. JANJUSIC, Marko S. 6-3 , 6-3
ESTEBAN, Alberto def. REIMAN, Grant 6-3 , 6-2
NICOLAS, Guillermo def. WOODSON, Jared 6-3 , 6-2
MILA, Marc def. REIMAN, Trent 6-2 , 6-2
TAJES, Carlos def. DAVIS, Braden 6-1 , 6-1

By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team unwrapped its conference season in impressive fashion Saturday afternoon, routing Eastern Illinois, 7-0, in the 2017 home opener. With the win, TTU moves to 32-3 in its last 35 home matches.

The Golden Eagles (6-5, 1-0) came out strong in doubles play thanks to wins in the top two spots to seize the point, before capturing all six singles matchups without even dropping a set to the Panthers (2-15, 0-2).

Junior Eduardo Mena rolled to a 6-2, 6-1 nod in the top spot over Gage Kingsmith, bumping Mena's singles mark to 9-2, the most wins on the squad. Mena's victory was part of a promising trend for the Golden Eagles that saw Tech not only take each set, but not allow a Panther to win as much as four games in any matchup.

Carlos Tajes was strong out of the No. 6 spot with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Braden Davis, while freshman Marc Mila provided Tech with more punch in the back of the lineup with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Trent Reiman in the No. 5 slot.

The rest of the Golden Eagles soared with ease as Marcos Bernardes knocked off Marko Stefan Janjusic, 6-3, 6-3, in the No. 2 position, Alberto Esteban took down Grant Reiman, 6-3, 6-2, in the No. 3 spot, and sophomore Guillermo Nicolas registered a 6-3, 6-2 victory in the No. 4 matchup. After an unblemished season a year ago, Nicolas moved his OVC career singles record to 10-0.

In doubles action, Eduardo Mena and Marcos Bernardes teamed up for a 6-4 win against Gage Kingsmith and Grant Reiman in the No. 1 spot, while the tandem of Alberto Esteban and Guillermo Nicolas powered past Trent Reiman and Ferdinand Ammer in the No. 2 slot. The No. 3 doubles tilt pitting Jorge Alfonzo and Carlos Tajes against Jared Woodson and Jacob Wendell did not finish.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Golden Eagles as Tech will travel to North Florida for a Monday night match with the Ospreys, the final non-conference affair of the year. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. CT.

Photo by Jim Dillon