By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team opened the month of February with a 4-0 loss to No. 14 Mississippi State in Sunday's showdown in Starkville.
Facing their third nationally ranked foe and fourth matchup against a "Power 4" opponent to begin the spring, the Golden Eagles (1-5) dropped all three completed singles battles with the Bulldogs. No. 72 Niccolo Baroni notched a 6-0, 6-0 win over Alex Alvarez in the No. 1 position, while Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes picked up a 6-0, 6-0 nod against Darek Kuczynksi in the No. 3 tangle and Michal Novansky took home a 6-0, 6-0 victory against Elia Lauper in the No. 4 spot.
Two other solo get-togethers did not finish with Ricard Garavi Yepez trailing 6-2, 4-1 to Radomir Tomic at the time the No. 5 clash wrapped up, while Bryan Hernandez Cortes led Elyad Oshnavie 6-0, 5-1 at the time the No. 6 tilt went unfinished.
There was no result in the No. 2 meeting between Murilo Burckhardt and No. 81 Mario Martinez Serrano.
The Bulldogs (8-1) jumped out to an early edge after claiming the doubles point behind wins in both completed affairs. No. 20 Niccolo Baroni and Mario Martinez Serrando carded a 6-3 victory over Oliver Dao and Lucas Bitzer in top matchup to go along with a Bryan Hernandez Cortes and Radomir Tomic 6-2 win against Lucas Krause and Darek Kuczynski in the No. 3 clash en route to the tandem point.
The No. 2 battle pitting Alex Alvarez and Murilo Burckhardt against Michal Novansky and Benito Sanchez Martinez did not finish with Alvarez and Burckhardt trailing 4-3.
The purple and gold will now prepare for a busy weekend on the books behind a pair of matches on Saturday, Feb. 8 and Sunday, Feb. 9. Tech till travel to UNC Asheville on Saturday before squaring off with Penn on Sunday in a natural-site meeting in Knoxville.
Photo by Jim Dillon
