By Dylan Vazzano, Sports Information Coordinator
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Playing in its second match in as many days, the Tennessee Tech tennis team showed resiliency in bouncing back after a tough loss Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles captured a 4-1 win over Georgia Southern in Chattanooga Saturday afternoon. Having split the first two tilts of a busy weekend in the Volunteer State, Tech (2-1) will close out its weekend trio of matches with a Sunday meeting at the University of Tennessee.
TTU's victory snapped a three-match win streak for the Eagles (4-4), who were unable to string anything together against a Golden Eagle squad that dropped just one matchup the entire day. Tech rolled in doubles play, before seizing wins in three of four singles duels to fight its way to the finish line in the first get together with Georgia Southern since 1991.
"The team put together an incredible effort to get past a very good GSU team," TTU head coach Kenny Doyle claimed. "Playing the day after a tough loss is always difficult but we showed a tremendous amount of energy and it translated to the result of the match. It will be an even tougher battle tomorrow, but if we get out with the same amount of energy, we will be fine."
The Golden Eagles claimed wins in the No. 1 and No. 3 spots in doubles play, behind an Eduardo Mena and Alberto Esteban 6-2 nod over Artemie Amari and Diego Finkeistein in the No. 1 slot, and a Marcos Bernardes and Guillermo Nicolas 6-0 blanking against Dani Casablancas and Murphy McCullough in the No. 3 position. The No. 2 battle between Jorge Alfonzo and Marc Mila, and JC Alcala and Eddie Landin did not finish.
It was more of the same for Tech during singles action as the Golden Eagles prevailed in three of four matchups with two affairs not finishing. Junior Eduardo Mena ran his singles record to 3-0 this spring thanks to a 6-2, 7-5 nod over JC Alcala in the No. 1 spot.
Fellow junior Jorge Alfonzo followed suit with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) thrilling win against Artemie Amari out of the No. 6 slot, while freshman Marc Mila registered his first career singles victory with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Stefano Di Aloy in the No. 5 position.
Playing in his first singles match of the spring, sophomore Guillermo Nicolas did not finish his No. 4 bout with freshman Santiago Suarez, one of two singles tilts that did not finish as junior Marcos Bernardes and red-shirt senior Dani Casablancas did not conclude their battle in the No. 3 spot.
GSU junior Eddie Landin tallied the Eagles' lone win of the afternoon with a 6-4, 6-3 decision over senior Alberto Esteban in the No. 2 slot.
TTU will be wrap up its weekend of three matches in three days Sunday afternoon, locking up at UT at 12:30 p.m. CT.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
