By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team hit a bump in the road against the NAIA's top team in the country, falling 5-2 at No. 1 Georgia Gwinnett Saturday afternoon.

Nearly every match went down to the wire, but in the end the Grizzlies (10-0) remained perfect on the season with narrow victories in both doubles and singles play. Playing by NAIA rules in which doubles action is the first to eight points in each match, Tech (4-5) was tripped up in all three battles as Kevin Konfederak and Jordan Cox teamed up to take out Alex Arovin and Alberto Esteban, 8-3, in the No. 1 spot, Matias Hatem and Connor Clements defeated Eduardo Mena and Marcos Bernardes, 8-6, in the No. 2 slot, and Luke Morland and Lachlan McPhee slipped past Guillermo Nicolas and Jorge Alfonzo, 8-6, in the No. 3 position.

The NAIA rules extend into in singles play, where sophomore Eduardo Mena moved to 8-1 on the season with a 7-6, 4-6, 10-3 win over Konfederak on the featured court. Fellow sophomore Marcos Bernaders claimed a hard fought win as well, taking out Clements in a 4-6, 6-2, 14-12 thriller in the No. 5 spot.

Senior Alex Arovin was just edged out, 6-3, 7-6, in the No. 2 position to Jordan Cox, a similar fate for sophomore Jorge Alfonzo, who was also upended, 6-3, 7-6, in the No. 6 slot. Junior Alberto Esteban's match in the No. 3 spot came down to the wire, however it was ultimately claimed, 7-5, 7-5, by Matias Hatem.

Freshman Guillermo Nicolas also fell, 6-0, 6-4, to Gilad Berman.

Tech will now set its sights on conference play, opening the OVC slate in Nashville for a pair of matches against Tennessee State and Belmont. The Golden Eagles will clash with the Tigers on Friday, Mar. 18, before hooking up with the Bruins on Saturday. The TSU match begins at noon CT and the Belmont affair starts at 10 a.m.

The Golden Eagles have taken home three of the last four OVC regular season championships.