By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Murilo Burckhardt's three singles wins helped highlight the Tennessee Tech tennis team's weekend showing in the ITA Ohio Valley Regional, hosted by Purdue.
A quartet of Golden Eagles took aim in the event with Burckhardt, Alex Alvarez, Lucas Bitzer and Oliver Dao all making the trip up north to compete in solo and doubles action. Burckhardt put together TTU's most successful performance with his trio of singles triumphs, which began with a comeback 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win over Bellarmine's Vineet Ramesh in the Singles Qualifier Round of 64.
The Tech sophomore out of Telemaco Borba, Brazil proceeded to card a second-consecutive comeback win behind a 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 victory against Vanderbilt's Tighe Brunetti in the Round of 32. Burckhardt was unable to make it a third-straight triumph after falling 6-2, 6-4 to MTSU's Ondrej Horak in the Singles Main Draw Round of 64, but bounced back with another nod over a foe from a "Power 4" school with a 4-6, 6-2, 10-5 win against Indiana's Luc Boulier in the Main Consolation Round of 32.
Like Buckhardt, Lucas Bitzer also competed in the Singles Qualifier Round of 64 but was unable to pick up a victory after being upended 6-7, 6-0, 6-3 by Butler's Riccardo Baldi to end his stay in West Lafayette.
Alex Alvarez suffered a 6-2, 6-1 defeat to Indiana's Deacon Thomas in the Singles Main Draw Round of 64 before his run in the tournament concluded with a 6-3, 6-4 loss to ETSU's Martin Garcia-Ripoll Ore in the Singles Main Consolation Round of 32.
Golden Eagle newcomer Oliver Dao also went 0-2 in singles play with a 6-2, 6-4 setback to ETSU's Peter Kalocsai in the Singles Main Draw Round of 64 and a narrow 7-4, 4-6, 12-10 defeat to Henrick Villanger out of Purdue.
As far as doubles play is concerned, Alvarez and Burckhardt dropped a close 8-6 decision to Eastern Kentucky's Fernando Bulnes Garrorena and Nuno Pinheiro in the Doubles Main Draw Round of 64, while Tech's other tandem Bitzer and Dao also fell at the hands of Indiana's Matteo Antonescu and Karan Raghavendra behind an 8-3 decision in the Round of 64.
A busy upcoming weekend is on the books for the Golden Eagles that will feature two in-state events for the purple and gold. Tech will participate in both the UTC Steve Baras Invite in Chattanooga as well as the Coach Buck Bouldin Fall Classic in Murfreesboro. Each event will take place Friday, Oct. 18 through Sunday, Oct. 20.
Photo courtesy of Cleveland State Athletics
