BRISTOL, Tenn. – Junior Syrym Abduhkalikov won another
singles contest Sunday, but it was the only point earned by
Tennessee Tech as the Golden Eagles were tripped by East Tennessee,
6-1, in men's tennis action played at the Bristol Racquest
Club,
Juan Ramirez clinched the second victory of the weekend for ETSU as
he came back from a set down to defeat Tech's Alejandro Augusto
Bueno in a third set tiebreak 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) on the
Buccaneers' path to victory.
The Bucs took their first doubles sweep of the season against Tech. Sander Gille and Robin Akser started the day with their third-straight doubles win in an 8-2 defeat of Alex Chen and Abdukhalikov at the No. 1 spot. Jesus Bandres and Jorge Varon claimed an 8-4 victory against Bueno and James Crawford at No. 3, while Ramirez and Jeremy Bonnevalle defeated Vasily Eremeev and Artem Tarasov, 8-2, a the No. 2 spot.
Bonnevalle continued to carry the Bucs' momentum into singles play with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Eremeev to put ETSU up 2-0 in the match.
Tech got on the board at No. 1 singles with Abdukhalikov defeating Bandres 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.Abduhkalikov improved to 3-4 in singles play this spring, all coming at the No. 1 position.
It was the only point the Golden Eagles put up as Gille defeated
Chen in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3 in the No. 2 match before Ramirez
reeled in the clincher against Bueno. Akser and Rogerio Ribeiro
finished the day at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, respectively. Akser
defeated Tarasov, 8-2, and Ribeiro defeated Justin Kirstein,
6-0, 7-5.
The Golden Eagles will take a long break in action, with their next
scheduled contest a March 14 match at Belmont.