By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – In a battle that featured four of the six singles clashes go to three sets, the Tennessee Tech tennis team was unable to claw its way to the top in a 5-2 defeat at UNC Asheville.
Darek Kuczynski picked up one of the two straight-set solo triumphs behind a 6-3, 6-0 win against Trevor Gray in the No. 5 spot for Kuczynski's second singles nod of the spring. Freddy Murray was responsible for the other straight-set victory thanks to a 6-3, 6-3 decision over Alex Alvarez in the No. 1 position.
Murilo Burckhardt took home Tech's other point with a 7-6 (3-0), 4-6, 6-3 win against Sai Gandepalli in the No. 3 slot for his second singles win of the season as well.
The Bulldogs (4-0) secured victories in the other three get-togethers behind a Tarek Erlewein 3-6, 7-6 (4-0), 6-2 nod against Oliver Dao in the No. 2 meeting, an Olle Sonesson Lidholt 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 triumph over Lucas Bitzer in the No. 4 matchup, and a Griffin Lovern 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 win against Elia Lauper in the No. 6 spot.
Despite capturing one of the three tandem battles, the Golden Eagles (1-6) were unable to seize the doubles point with losses in the other two meetings. Alex Alvarez and Murilo Burkhardt topped Freddy Murray and Olle Sonesson Lidholt 6-4 in the No. 2 clash for Tech's lone tandem triumph.
Griffin Lovern and Tarek Erlewein collected a 6-4 victory over Oliver Dao and Lucas Bitzer in the No. 1 position, while Trevor Gray and Sai Gandepalli picked up a 7-6 (7-3) decision against Darek Kuczynski and Lukas Krause in the No. 3 spot to account for UNC Asheville's two tandem wins.
The Golden Eagle will be right back at it on Sunday with a neutral-site meeting against Penn, scheduled to take place in Knoxville. First serve is slated for 12:30 p.m. CT.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
