By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Athletics Media Relations
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Tennessee Tech tennis team made it two straight in the win column as the Golden Eagles topped Eastern Kentucky to kick off a busy stretch of three matches in two days.
Tech (2-4) collected three singles victories in the triumph in addition to capturing the doubles point to help push the purple and gold to a strong weekend start in Richmond.
"What an effort out of the team today," Golden Eagle head coach Mark Klysner said. "We came out on fire in doubles and set the tone leading into singles. Credit to EKU who came back in all of the matches and really forced us to step it up and close it out. That was one of the better college tennis matches you'll see and we gave it everything. Now get some rest before getting back to it tomorrow."
Alex Alvarez, Davids Spaks and Murilo Burckhardt all claimed solo nods in the victory. Burckhardt's three-set triumph out of the No. 5 spot officially clinched the match for Tech after the 5-foot-10 junior out of Telemaco Borba, Brazil registered a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 decision over Adrian Contreras to put the Golden Eagles over the finish line.
Alvarez and Spaks joined suit as three-set winners after Alvarez carded a 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 win over Fernando Bulnes in the No. 2 meeting and Spaks picked up a 6-2, 6-7, 7-6 victory against Ilie Cazac in the No. 3 gathering.
Burckhardt, Alvarez and Spaks all earned singles wins for the second-straight match after the trio helped lead Tech to its first nod of the season in a 4-3 victory at Georgia State on Feb. 7.
The Colonels (6-9) claimed two singles wins of their own behind a Nuno Pinheiro 4-6, 7-6, 6-1 triumph over Oliver Dao in the top spot and a Joao Barreto 6-4, 6-0 victory against Diego Munoz in the No. 4 position.
The No. 6 clash pitting Ricard Garavi Yepez and Kartik Parhar did not finish.
The Golden Eagles began the contest by capturing the doubles point thanks to wins in both completed contests. No. 79 Alex Alvarez and Davids Spaks picked up a 6-2 decision against Kartik Parhar and Nuno Pinheiro in the top slot, while Murilo Burckhardt and Diego Munoz notched a 6-2 victory against Fernando Bulnes and Adrian Contreras in the No. 2 get-together.
Oliver Dao and Linush Rohlin's No. 3 tussle with Joao Barreto and Ilie Cazac did not finish with Dao and Rohlin leading 4-3 at the time it was called.
Tech will now turn its attention to a busy Friday that will feature a pair of neutral-site affairs in Richmond. The Golden Eagles will greet Furman at 8 a.m. CT before squaring off with Chattanooga at 1 p.m. CT.
Photo courtesy of Alabama Athletics
