By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Add another chapter in the tale of the 2016 Tennessee Tech tennis team as the Golden Eagles extend their storybook season with the coveted prize and proud distinction of Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champions. In a battle pitting the tourney's top two seeds, No. 1 TTU (15-6, 9-0) took down No. 2 Eastern Kentucky (19-12, 7-2), 4-3, earning the program's seventh tournament title and accompanying automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the first crusade since the 2006 campaign.
Tech's journey to the top had its fair share of resiliency after the Golden Eagles found themselves in a precious position early in the match from inside the Centennial Sportsplex Tennis Center. TTU dropped the doubles point to fall down 1-0 in the championship bout as the combination of senior Alex Alvaro and junior Sebastian Mueller topped senior Alex Arovin and junior Alberto Esteban, 6-2, in the No. 1 spot, and the tandem of junior Diogo Soares and sophomore Ramon van Flymen pushed through sophomores Eduaro Mena and Marcos Bernardes, 6-2, in the No. 2 slot.
Down 1-0, the Golden Eagles turned it on in singles play, seizing four of the six matchups en route to the crown and ninth consecutive victory to remain unbeaten in the month of April.
Eduardo Mena set the tone from the get go in singles action, proving to all in attendance why he was named the OVC's Player of the Year with an overwhelming 6-1, 6-1 win over Ramon van Flymen in the No. 1 spot.
Guillermo Nicolas followed suit in the No. 4 position as the conference's Freshman of the Year fired past Sebastian Mueller, 6-4, 6-4.
The Colonels, who had seized four of the last six tournament championships, notched two wins of their own during singles action, using a Florian Graskamp 6-4, 7-5 victory against sophomore Jorge Alfonzo in the No. 6 spot, and an Alex Alvaro default-win over Alex Arovin in the No. 2 position to intensify the drama in Nashville.
Ultimately, the Golden Eagles prevailed behind a pair of three-set thrillers, both of which saw EKU capture the first set. After a 6-2 defeat in the opener, Alberto Esteban bounced right back with a 6-1 winner in the second set, before powering his way to the finish line with a 6-4 victory in the third set over freshman Guillem Sanchis in the No. 3 spot.
Marcos Bernardes fell 6-2 in the opening set with Diogo Soares in the No. 5 slot, however the Brasilia, Brazil native took revenge in the form of a 7-5 second-set nod, and a 6-3 third-set clincher to give his squad another crucial point.
Tech's triumph in singles play sends the Golden Eagles to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006, capping off a string of three appearances in four years.
