By Dylan Vazzano, Sports Information Coordinator
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team rolled in its first game out of the Volunteer State Saturday afternoon, routing UNC Asheville 6-1 to bump its record above .500 in the early stages of the season. The win snapped a four-match losing streak in the series with the Bulldogs (4-3).
The Golden Eagles (3-2) captured the doubles point, before dominating singles action with wins in five of six battles for Tech's largest margin of victory so far this spring. In fact, TTU needed just two sets in four of the six bouts as junior Marcos Bernardes, senior Alberto Esteban, sophomore Guillermo Nicolas and freshman Marc Mila took care of business in their respective tilts.
Bernardes took down Josh Swindler, 6-3, 6-1, in the No. 2 spot, Esteban topped Olly Cull, 6-1, 7-5, in the No. 3 spot, Nicolas soared past Majed Yousif, 6-4, 6-1, in the No. 4 position and Mila was near flawless in a 6-2, 6-3 nod over Reid Dillon in the No. 5 spot.
It took junior Jorge Alfonzo three sets for his third singles win of the season, prevailing 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 against James Massie in the No. 6 slot.
No. 66 Eduardo Mena lost his first singles match of the spring as Henry Patten registered a 6-1, 7-6 victory over the Bultrago del Lozoya, Spain native for Tech's lone blemish on the afternoon. Mena is now 4-1 in singles play this season.
The Golden Eagles took two out of three in doubles play to notch the point that helped set the day's momentum, using a Guillermo Nicolas and Marcos Bernardes 6-3 victory in the No. 2 slot and a Marc Mila and Jorge Alfonzo nod in the No. 3 spot.
Tech will take its act to Florida next weekend, playing three matches in three days. The Golden Eagles will be at UCF Friday, Florida Gulf Coast Saturday and will close out its stay in the Sunshine State with a neutral site battle with Charlotte in Fort Myers Sunday.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
