Tech tripped up by Vanderbilt in Sunday’s Music City tangle
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team’s second tussle with an SEC foe in 2024 swung in favor of Vanderbilt, as the Golden Eagles were upended 7-0 in Sunday’s meeting in Nashville.
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team's second tussle with an SEC foe in 2024 swung in favor of Vanderbilt, as the Golden Eagles were upended 7-0 in Sunday's meeting in Nashville.
The Commodores (3-0) claimed all six solo get-togethers, with two of Tech's six finding a way to force a third set. After pushing the proceedings to a third in set in TTU's season opener at No. 6 Tennessee, Lucas Bitzer once again participated in a third set in Sunday's No. 4 battle. Bitzer secured a 6-3 initial set against Nathan Cox, before the Golden Eagle freshman out of Zurich, Switzerland was downed 6-4 in the second set and 6-2 in the third.
Darek Kuczynski suffered a similar fate in his No. 6 clash with Alexandre Hillhouse after Kuczynski picked up a 6-3 first-set triumph. Hillhouse would respond behind a 6-2 second-set nod and an abbreviated 10-4 third-set win to put the finishing touches on Vandy's victory.
The Dores enjoyed front line singles success over Tech (0-2) with straight-set triumphs in the top three spots. Joubert Klopper notched a 6-0, 6-0 win over Murilo Burckhart in the No. 1 tilt, while Danil Panarin picked up a 6-0, 6-2 victory against Alex Alvarez in the No. 2 slot, and Juan Lopez earned a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) decision over Paulo Ramos Martin in the No. 3 duel.
Jeremie Casabon was the fourth Commodore to capture a straight-set singles nod thanks to a 6-3-, 6-3 win against Davids Spaks in the No. 4 position.
Vandy began the affair by seizing the doubles point behind victories in the top two tangles. The nationally ranked, No. 59, Dore duo of Jeremie Casabon and Nathan Cox knocked off Lucas Bitzer and Davids Spaks 6-2 in the No. 1 get-together, while Joubert Klopper and Danil Panarin defeated Paulo Ramos Martin and Alex Alvarez 6-2 in the No. 2 spot.
The No. 3 matchup of Juan Lopez and Connor Robb-Wilcox against Darek Kuczynski and Murilo Burckhardt did not finish with the Vandy tandem leading 4-3 at the time it was called.
The Golden Eagles will prepare for their first non-SEC match of the spring with a Feb. 1 contest at UAB on the books in Birmingham. First serve is slated for 2 p.m. CT.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
