Golden Eagle tennis caps off perfect conference season with 4-2 win at Belmont
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team ended its regular season in grand fashion as the Golden Eagles capped off their perfect conference campaign with a 4-2 win at Belmont, Saturday afternoon in Music City.
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Athletics Media Relations
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team ended its regular season in grand fashion as the Golden Eagles capped off their perfect conference campaign with a 4-2 win at Belmont, Saturday afternoon in Music City.
Tech's triumph drives its final Horizon League record to an unblemished 6-0, while the victory also runs the club's current winning streak to seven straight. The Golden Eagles (14-7) head into the Horizon League Championships with a 10-1 mark over their last 11 matches.
Belmont (9-11, 3-3 HL) did manage to claim the doubles point, but Tech rattled off four points in singles play to push past the Bruins in a contest that was decided late.
"This as one of the great college tennis matches I've been a part of as a coach," first-year Golden Eagle head coach Mark Klysner claimed. "We came out a little sluggish in doubles, which is usually our strong suit, but credit to Belmont as they played extremely well. What a performance by the guys in singles, coming out with such tenacity and mental toughness. To finish last place a season ago to going undefeated this year has been a special accomplishment, but we've got higher goals. We will enjoy an undefeated regular season, but have our sights set on next week."
Five of the six solo showdowns went three sets, including Murilo Buckhardt's 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 victory over Eli Mizerski in the No. 5 position that officially clinched the match for the purple and gold.
Davids Spaks and Diego Munoz also won in three as Spaks registered a 6-3, 0-6, 6-2 nod against Charlie Robin in the No. 3 slot and Munoz earned a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 decision over Morgan Woods in the No. 4 meeting.
Alex Alvarez was responsible for Tech's other singles triumph thanks to a 6-2, 6-2 win in the No. 2 spot.
Belmont's lone solo point came after Oliver Dao retired in No. 1. The Golden Eagle red-shirt sophomore captured the initial set, 7-6 (11-9), over Sabi Roi, but Roi secured the second set, 6-3, and led 2-1 in the third before the battle wrapped up.
Ricard Garavi Yepez and Will Ecklund's No. 6 matchup did not finish. Ecklund earned a first-set 6-4 win, while Garavi Yepez notched a 6-2 second-set nod. The Tech sophomore out of Palma de Mallorca, Spain led 2-0 in the third set at the time the tussle was called.
The Bruins captured both completed doubles clashes. Sabi Roi and Stefan Vedovelli tallied a 6-3 win against Alex Alvarez and Davids Spaks in No. 1, while Will Ecklund and Charlie Robin collected a 6-4 decision over Oliver Dao and Christian Capuccini in No. 2.
The No. 3 get-together featuring Murilo Burckhardt and Diego Munoz against Eli Mizerski and Morgan Woodson did not finish with the score knotted at 4-4.
Following the program's first undefeated conference campaign since 2021, the Golden Eagles will go into the Horizon League Championships with the South No. 1 seed and a bye straight to the semifinals. Tech will play in the semis on Saturday, Apr. 25 from the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Golden Eagles will await the winner of the tournament's first quarterfinal clash.
The semis are slated to start at 10 a.m. CT.
Photo: Jim Dillon
