CARBONDALE, Ill. - After sweeping the doubles competition, the Tennessee Tech men's tennis team won five of six singles matches to take a 6-1 win over Southern Illinois on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Tech women's team had its 2010 season opener spoiled with a 6-1 loss to the Salukis.
Arturo Santa Ruize and Oscar Pachon paired to take down Jordan Snyder and Pavlo Buryi, 8-4, at No. 3 doubles before Josh Girling and Nicholas Staffard secured a point for the Golden Eagles with an 8-6 win No. 1 doubles.
Tech then won the first five finishes in the singles competition en route to capturing a five-point win.
Girling got things started with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Mpilo Migogo at No. 2 singles before Justin Kirstein (No. 3; 7-6, 6-1), Santa Ruize (No. 6; 6-0, 7-6) and Stafford (No. 4; 6-4, 6-4) followed with straight sets victories.
It took three sets for Alex Chen to dispose of Brandon Florez in No. 1 singles (6-3, 1-6, 6-4), while Oscar Pachon fell in a three-set battle against Falk De Beenhouwer at No. 5 singles.
The win improves Tech's record to 2-1 in the dual-match season and gives the Golden Eagles a two-match winning streak going into their next match against No. 57 Middle Tennessee State. That competition is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23 in Nashville..
On the women's side, the Golden Eagles fell behind early as the Salukis secured the doubles point on wins at No. 2 and No. 3. Tech's tandem of Frederike Kahl and Victoria Cran won at No. 1 doubles to improve their record as a team to 4-1, including fall tournaments.
TTU never got on track in the singles competition as SIU won the first four matches to secure the team victory. Leydi Zora fell at No. 1 (6-1, 6-1), while Diana Woodcock (No. 2; 6-4, 6-0), Laura Porras (No. 3; 7-5, 6-3) and Kahl (No. 5, 6-0, 6-3) were also downed in straight sets.
Cran gave Tech its lone point of the day as she defeated Anastacia Simons at No. 4 singles (6-1, 7-5), while Katie Barnhill lost the only three-set match of the day at No. 6 singles.
The women's team returns to action on Saturday, February 27 when the Golden Eagles open OVC play against Jacksonville State in Cookeville.
