Four Golden Eagles finish strong in Chattanooga Collegiate Clay Court Championships
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team concluded its stay at the Chattanooga Collegiate Clay Court Championships at Manker Patten in strong fashion Sunday afternoon.
SUNDAY 9/16 RECAP
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team concluded its stay at the Chattanooga Collegiate Clay Court Championships at Manker Patten in strong fashion Sunday afternoon. Four Golden Eagles competed in the event and each felt the taste of victory on the tournament's final day.
Freshman Lucca Silva rose to the top of his consolation bracket with a Sunday singles win over ETSU's Taisei Miyamoto. The Golden Eagle rookie out of Sao Paulo, Brazil took the tilt in straight sets with a 6-1 first-set nod and a 6-3 triumph in the second set.
Sophomore Gonzalo Garcia found similar success with a straight-set victory as part of an extra match played against Chattanooga's Cooper Long. Garcia captured the first set 6-3 and seized the second set 6-1.
Freshman Carlos Vicente's strong run in the consolation bracket was cut just short as the rookie was upended by Jeremy Taylor in straight sets. Taylor took the first one 6-2 and won the second set 6-4. Vicente had won twice on Saturday with straight-set wins over ETSU's Chris Mikrovas and UAB's Daniel Janko.
Despite the singles defeat, Vicente teamed up with Wenceslao Albin during doubles action and flourished to the tune of a 7-5 nod over Chattanooga's Luke Plaisted and Kaisei Kuroki on Sunday.
SATURDAY 9/15 RECAP
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Day two of the Chattanooga Collegiate Clay Court Championships at Manker Patten concluded Saturday afternoon, with the four members of the Tennessee Tech tennis team experiencing mixed results.
Freshman Carlos Vicente had a strong showing in his consolation bracket, making quick work of Chris Mikrovas of East Tennessee State, (6-4, 6-1). Vicente then took down UAB's Daniel Janko with a two-set victory (6-2, 6-4).
Fellow rookie Lucca Silva fell to Chattanooga's Tomas Rodriguez in their quarterfinal bout, (6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (6)) to start the day. He rebounded by beating UTC's Simon Bustamante in a consolation match-up, defeating the Moc in straight sets (6-3, 6-2).
Wenceslao Albin fought hard, but eventually fell to Memphis' Jeremy Taylor, (6-1, 7-5). Taylor is scheduled to square off with Vicente on Sunday. Albin rebounded, defeating Fernando Vargas of UAB, (6-1, 6-4).
Gonzalo Garcia split his matches on the day, starting with a straight-sets victory (7-6, 6-1) over UTC's Kaisei Kuroki before eventually retiring in a dual with Luke Plaisted, also of Chattanooga.
In doubles action, the Tech duo of Garcia/Silva earned a (6-2) win over the UTC pairing of Nash/LaHue. The Golden Eagle team of Albin/Vicente dropped a tilt with Chattanooga's Hyatt/Bustamante (6-3).
FRIDAY 9/14 RECAP
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Four members of the Tennessee Tech tennis team opened play at the Chattanooga Collegiate Clay Court Championships at Manker Patten Friday, with both singles and doubles play getting under way in the three-day event hosted by Chattanooga.
Lucca Silva shined on the day to lead the charge for the Golden Eagles, advancing to the quarterfinals of the singles draw. The freshman earned a victory over Chattanooga's Jacob Marshall in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) to start the day. He later defeated Daniel Janko of UAB to advance to the quarterfinals, winning (6-3, 7-6) to set up a match-up against the Mocs' Tomas Rodriguez on Saturday.
Senior Wenceslao Albin took the (6-4, 6-1) victory in his first match of the day, dismissing UTC's Luke Plaisted to move on. East Tennessee State's Taisei Miyamoto edged the Golden Eagle veteran in the next round, (6-4, 6-7, 1-0 (8)). Albin will take on Jeremy Taylor of Memphis in the winner's bracket consolation on Saturday.
Another Tech rookie, Carolos Vicente, earned a win to begin his weekend, defeating Chattanooga's Cooper Long (6-4, 6-4). He would also drop a three-set match in the second round, falling to Patrick Sydow of Memphis (6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (8)). He will face Chris Mikrovas of ETSU int he winner's bracket consolation on Saturday.
Sophomore Gonzalo Garcia dropped a heartbreaker to UAB's Giovani Pasini in the first round, (7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (7)). He rebounded in the loser's bracket consolation, advancing with a straight-sets victory (6-4, 6-2) over UTC's Pablo Llebeili. He is set for a match-up with the Moc's Kaisei Kuroki on Saturday.
In doubles action, the tandem of Albin and Vicente captured a (6-4) win over the Moc duo of Long/Llebeili. Memphis' Pallares/Taylor defeated the Golden Eagle pair in the second round, (6-2). The two will face the UTC duo of Hyatt/Bustamante on Saturday.
Garcia and Silva teammed up to face another Memphis combo of Voges/Sydow, eventually falling (6-1). Troy's Antuna/Romero team edged the two Tech players, (7-5) in the team's second match. Garcia/Silva will feature a final tilt with Nash/LaHue of Chattanooga on Saturday.
Photo by Tony Marable
