COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech went down fighting. The Golden Eagle tennis team defeated Morehead State Sunday, 5-2, in the regular season finale but the win wasn't quite enough to extend the season. Tech finished the year with a 4-5 record in Ohio Valley Conference play, good for a tie for fifth place.
However, due to the league's tiebreakers, Tech wasn't able to capture one of the top six seeds and advance to the OVC Tournament next week. Tech took the eighth spot in the final seedings, ending 2014 for coach Kenny Doyle's squad.
The Golden Eagles enjoyed one of their best outings of the season, winning the doubles point and four of the six singles matches for the 5-2 victory.
The doubles points was marked on Tech's side of the scoreboard fairly quickly as the No. 1 and No. 2 teams each stormed to 8-2 victories. At No. 1, Oleksiy Arovin and Alberto Esteban downed Morehead's pair of Ji Hoon Heo and Jack Swindells, while on the No. 2 court, Vasily Eremeev and Artem Tarasov stopped David Clifford and Nick Mercer.
Four of the singles battles were finished in straight sets, with two going to the Golden Eagles and two going to the visiting Eagles.
At No. 2, Esteban posted a 6-3, 6-2 win over Giovanni Samaha, and at No. 6, it was Tarasov posting 6-4, 6-4 win over Gabriel Ruiz. Morehead got a 6-3, 6-4 win by Heo at No. 3 singles over Gagan Jain, and at No. 4 it was Mercer posting a 6-2, 6-3 win over Eremeev.
Leading 3-2, the Golden Eagles polished off the final two matches in three sets each. At No. 1, Arovin outlasted Swindells, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, and in the No. 5 match, Alvaro Cintas posted a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win over Clifford.
Tennessee Tech 5, Morehead State 2
Cookeville, Tenn./Tech campus courts
Singles
No. 1 - Oleksiy Arovin (TTU) def. Jack Swindells, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 - Alberto Esteban (TTU) def. Giovanni Samaha, 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 - Ji Hoon Heo (MSU) def. Gagan Jain, 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 - Nick Mercer (MSU) def. Vasily Eremeev, 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 - Alvaro Cintas (TTU) def. David Clifford, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
No. 6 - Artem Tarasov (TTU) def. Gabriel Ruiz, 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 - Oleksiy Arovin/Alberto Esteban (TTU) def. Heo/Swindells, 8-2
No. 2 - Vasily Eremeev/Artem Tarasov (TTU) def. Clifford/Mercer, 8-2
No. 3 - Alvaro Cintas/Gagan Jain (TTU) vs. Smaha/Ruiz, DNF
April 16, 2014
Arovin, Esteban earn first-team all-OVC tennis team honors
April 13, 2014
Golden Eagles top Morehead State, 5-2, in season finale
April 12, 2014
Eastern Kentucky captures 5-2 OVC win over Golden Eagles
April 6, 2014
Golden Eagles blank Tennessee State in Sunday OVC match
March 23, 2014
Golden Eagles drop close contest at SIUE
March 22, 2014
Eastern Illinois grabs 5-2 OVC home win over Golden Eagles
March 14, 2014
Tech's begins quest for third straight OVC Championship
March 7, 2014
Golden Eagles face pair of matches in Georgia
February 28, 2014
Golden Eagles slip past Lipscomb for first dual match victory
February 26, 2014
Golden Eagles face Lipscomb Friday at Richland Country Club
February 16, 2014
Georgia State edges past Golden Eagle tennis team, 4-3
February 14, 2014
One day later than expected, Tech visits Georgia State Sunday morning
February 9, 2014
UNC Asheville Bulldogs claim 6-1 win over Tennessee Tech
February 6, 2014
Golden Eagle tennis team visits UNC Asheville for Sunday match
January 30, 2014
Road Tested: Long day in Louisville nets losses to Rockets and Cards
January 28, 2014
Golden Eagles in Louisville Thursday to face Rockets, Cardinals
January 23, 2014
Golden Eagle net squad in Chattanooga Saturday to face Mocs
January 18, 2014
No. 6 Volunteers sweep Golden Eagles in season-opening match
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Golden Eagles open spring slate at No. 6 Tennessee Saturday
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Golden Eagle tennis team puts up strong showing at Grizzly Open
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Tech tennis team at USTA/ITA Regional Championships in Knoxville
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Esteban shines for Golden Eagles at UTC/Steve Baras Fall Classic
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Tech tennis team makes trip to 31st UTC Steve Baras Fall Classic
September 13, 2013
Golden Eagle tennis team opens 2013-14 season in Athens, Ga.