By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Strong showings from the bottom of the Tennessee Tech tennis team's lineup were ultimately not enough Sunday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles were downed 4-2 by DePaul to put a lid on their weekend-stay in Boca Raton, Fla.
Sophomore Gonzalo Garcia and freshman Lucca Silva shined from the bottom of the singles order, each claiming a straight-set win out of the final two spots in the lineup. Garcia registered a 6-3, 6-1 nod over Luuk Wassenaar from the No. 5 position, while Silva collected a 6-1, 6-1 win against Tamas Zador in the No. 6 spot.
The Blue Demons (6-4) found success in the middle of the singles rotation with wins out of the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 slots. Vito Tonejc defeated Riku Kubota, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, in the No. 2 clash, while Christopher Casati took down Fanis Kontopoulos, 7-6 (3), 6-3, in the No. 3 matchup and Fran Tonejc secured a 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 victory over Wenceslao Albin in the No. 5 battle.
The top tilt pitting Elias Grubert and Boris Spanjaard did not finish.
The Golden Eagles (2-6) trailed early in the match after failing to win the doubles point with losses in two of the three matchups. Vito Tonejc and Fran Tonejc notched a 6-4 nod over Elias Grubert and Wenceslao Albin in the No. 2 potion and Conor O'Meara and Luuk Wassenaar picked up a 6-4 win against Riku Kubota and Lucca Silva in the No. 3 slot.
Tech triumphed in the No. 1 spot thanks to a 6-3 victory from Carlos Vicente and Gonzalo Garcia over Boris Spanjaard and Christopher Casati.
The Golden Eagles will head to Corpus Christi, Texas over the weekend, taking aim in the H-E-B Tournament of Champions on Friday, Feb. 22 and Saturday, Feb. 23.
Singles
1. Boris Spanjaard (DPU) vs. Elias Grubert (TTU) DNF
2. Vito Tonejc (DPU) def. Riku Kubota (TTU) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
3. Christopher Casati (DPU) def. Fanis Kontopoulos (TTU) 7-6 (3), 6-3
4. Fran Tonejc (DPU) def. Wenceslao Albin (TTU) 6-3, 1-6, 7-5
5. Gonzalo Garcia (TTU) def. Luuk Wassenaar (DPU) 6-3, 6-1
6. Lucca Silva (TTU) def. Tamas Zador (DPU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
1. Vicente/Garcia (TTU) def. Spanjaard/Casati (DPU) 6-3
2. V. Tonejc/F. Tonejc (DPU) def. Grubert/Albin (TTU) 6-4
3. O'Meara/Wassenaar (DPU) def. Kubota/Silva (TTU) 6-4
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information