By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – In a narrow battle that saw the Tennessee Tech tennis team and Southern Indiana split singles play, the doubles point proved to be the difference in a 4-3 USI victory Saturday morning at Tech Tennis Courts.
Tech's second Horizon League and home match of the season featured singles victories out of Alex Alvarez, Darek Kuczynski and Ricard Garavi Yepez. Alvarez bested Mathys Bove 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the top spot, while Kuczynski collected 6-4, 6-2 nod over Quinten Gillespie in the No. 5 position and Garavi Yepez picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win against Adam Koon in the No. 6 matchup.
The Screaming Eagles (5-8, 2-1 Horizon League) claimed wins out of the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 solo meetings. Axel Sabourin was responsible for the victory in No. 2 behind a 6-2, 7-6 victory over Oliver Dao to go along with an Eytan Michaeli 4-6, 6-4, 4-1 point against Murilo Burckhardt in the No. 3 clash and a Jy Hibbert 6-2, 7-6 (11-9) decision over Lucas Bitzer in the No. 4 tangle.
USI took the early lead in the match after topping the Golden Eagles (1-11, 0-2 Horizon League) in doubles play thanks to victories in the No. 1 and No. 3 gatherings. Axel Sabourin and Jy Hibbert secured a 7-6 (7-3) win over Lucas Bitzer and Elia Lauper in the No. 1 clash, and coupled with an Adam Koon and Mathys Bove 6-2 triumph against Oliver Dao and Lukas Krause in the No. 3 spot, the Screaming Eagles captured the tandem point.
Tech won the No. 2 doubles get-together with an Alex Alvarez and Murilo Burckhardt 6-3 nod against Quinten Gillespie and Eytan Michaeli.
The Golden Eagles will flock to Eastern Illinois for their final road match of the regular season on Saturday, Apr. 12. First serve in Charleston is set for 10 a.m. CT.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
