TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – It might have been cold outside, but
the Tennessee Tech men’s tennis team was hot indoors, downing
host Indiana State, 6-1, Friday evening. It was the team's first
dual match win of the season, and gave first-year head coach Dan
Silverstein his first victory as Golden Eagle men's boss.
No 113 Dean O’Brien won his match at the top singles spot to
improve to 4-0 on the spring season.
Tech returns indoors on Saturday to face off against Butler in
Indianapolis.
The Sycamores got behind early as Tech won at the number one and
three doubles spots. O’Brien teamed up with fellow sophomore
Josh Girling for an 8-2 win at No. 1, while freshmen Oscar Pachon
and Justin Kirstein teamed up for a win at the No. 3 spot.
With the Golden Eagles up 1-0 after doubles, Silverstein’s
team did not let up.
Tech picked up wins in the first five singles matches to earn the
match victory. Pachon finished first and picked up the first
singles win of his Tech career with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Michael
Wenham at No. 5. Sophomore Mario Gutierrez was next to finish at
No. 6 with a straight set win over Chris Finney.
O’Brien clinched the win for the Golden Eagles with a 6-2,
6-3 win over Josh Smith.
Girling’s win at No. 3 was the icing on the cake, a 6-3, 6-3
victory. The Sycamore’s lone win came at No. 2 with
Mpiloenhle Migogo picking up at three-set win over freshman Alex
Chen 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (4).
Tennessee Tech 6, Indiana State 1
Singles competition
1. #113 O'BRIEN, Dean (TTU) def. Josh Smith (INS) 6-2, 6-3
2. Mpiloenhle Migogo (INS) def. CHEN, Alex (TTU) 5-7, 6-2, 10-4
3. GIRLING, Josh (TTU) def. Milos Pavlovic (INS) 6-3, 6-3
4. KIRSTEIN, Justin (TTU) def. Jon Sigurdsson (INS) 4-6, 6-3,
10-4
5. PACHON, Oscar (TTU) def. Michael Wenham (INS) 6-2, 6-1
6. GUTIERREZ, Mario (TTU) def. Chris Finney (INS) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. O'BRIEN, Dean/GIRLING, Josh (TTU) def. Mpiloenhle Migogo/Milos
Pavlovic (INS) 8-2
2. Josh Smith/Jon Sigurdsson (INS) def. HARRIS, Lloyd/CRAWFORD,
James (TTU) 8-5
3. PACHON, Oscar/KIRSTEIN, Justin (TTU) def. Michael Wenham/Chris
Finney (INS) 8-2