Sunday 10/10 RECAP
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team smacked an exclamation point at the end of its stay at the Belmont Fall Invitational, as the Golden Eagles yet again strung together a stellar performance during singles play in their battle against Lipscomb. Tech captured six-of-seven solo matchups over their in-state counterparts to wrap up their three-day stay in Nashville with a sparkling 16-3 singles ledger.
All six of TTU's triumphs were of the straight-set variety, with Even Holis taking down Maksim Bogdanovich, 6-3, 6-3, Andre Rodeia powering past Pedro Uribe, 6-3, 7-5 and Carlos Vicente winning, 7-5, 7-6 against Sam Fischer to help set the tone. Mika Berghaus followed suit with a victory against Gonzalo Garcia-Nieto, while Jun Sasagawa secured a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Jake Penny and Elias Grubert registered a 6-3, 6-0 nod against Carlos Salas Tulla.
Rafael Tosetto captured the first set against Alex Mesquida, 6-1, but the Golden Eagle 5-foot-8 junior dropped the following two sets, 6-1, 6-4.
The Bisons did take two-of-three in doubles action, with the tandem of Uribe and Garcia-Nieto picking up a narrow 7-5 win against Tosetto and Vicente to go along with a Luka Stojanovic and Penny 6-2 triumph against Berghaus and Sasagawa.
Holis and Rodeia did seize a 6-0 win over Bogdanovich and Fischer.
With another successful fall showing in the books, the Golden Eagles will take their shot in the UTC Steve Baras Fall Classic in Chattanooga over the weekend. The three-day event is slated for Friday, Oct. 15 through Sunday, Oct. 17.
Saturday 10/9 RECAP
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A small piece of redemption went in favor of the Tennessee Tech tennis team Saturday, as the Golden Eagles defeated Belmont in five of seven singles clashes and two of three doubles bouts on day two of the Belmont Fall Invitational.
The match-up came as a rematch from the two squads' battle in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship match last spring, a contest won by the Bruins, 4-3, while the purple and gold fought through COVID-19 protocols. In this fall's preview of the upcoming spring's tilt, it was the Cookeville Crew coming out on top.
Rafael Tosetto turned in a three-set win over Arthur Toledo, edging the Bruin 6-2, 6-7, 6-2. Evzen Holis defeated Ian Cruz in the first set 6-0, before the sophomore from Belmont retired from the match to give Tech the win.
Also picking up a three-set victory on the day was Elias Grubert, outlasting Diego Castro 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Mika Berghaus delivered a straight-sets win over Taisei Miyamoto, outdueling the Bruins 6-2, 7-5. Jun Sasagawa joined the single-wins fun, collecting his own straight-sets W, 6-2, 6-3, over Grant Kelly.
Belmont's Tomas Luis eked out a 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 decision over Andre Rodeia while Tech's Carlos Vicente dropped a three-set affair with Alfred Wallin, 7-6, 2-6, 6-4.
On the doubles side of the action, Holis and Rodeia rolled to a 6-2 toppling of Toledo and Cruz while Sasagawa and Berghaus put forth a 6-4 victory over the team of Miyamoto and Kelly. The Bruins' Luis and Castro duo earned a 6-3 decision over Vicente and Tosetto.
Tech will wrap up Belmont Fall Invitational in Nashville Sunday afternoon with a 3:00 p.m. CT match with in-state rival Lipscomb.
Friday 10/8 RECAP
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A dominant singles showing carried the way for the Tennessee Tech tennis team in day one of the Belmont Fall Invitational Friday afternoon in Nashville. Squaring off with Chattanooga in five singles battle and a pair of doubles clashes, the Golden Eagles were perfect during solo action with straight-set victories in every bout.
Evzen Holis picked up a 6-3, 6-1 victory, while Carlos Vicente tabbed a 6-3, 6-3 triumph and Mika Berghaus registered a 6-2, 6-4 nod. Elias Grubert followed suit with a 7-6, 6-1 win and Jun Sasagawa helped complete the undefeated singles showing with a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
During doubles play the Golden Eagles were upended in both battles. Vicente and Rafael Tosetto fell in a 6-4 decision to Jacob Marshall and Ryan Mudre, while Grubert and Andre Rodeia were downed 6-3 by Quinten Nevenhoven and Jordan McClure.
Tech will continue its Nashville stay with an affair against the host Belmont in Saturday's second day of the invite. First serve is slated for 11 a.m. CT.
Photo by Thomas Corhern