The Tennessee Tech tennis team (0-2) will head to Chattanooga, Tennessee to take on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs (1-5) this Sunday.
Tech is coming off a 5-2 loss to Middle Tennessee State last weekend.
The Golden Eagles won the double’s point with a 6-2 victory from sophomore Alberto Esteban and junior Alex Arovin and a 6-3 victory from junior Alvaro Cintas and freshman Eduardo Mena.
“We’re doing our job in doubles. We’re playing good,” said Esteban.
In singles competition, Tech lost its first matchup as Cintas fell to Victor Hoang, 6-1, 6-2.
The lone win in singles came from Mena after he defeated Dima Zyhmantovich, 6-2,6-4.
Esteban lost in the No. 2 match to Ettore Zito, 6-3, 6-2, bringing the match to a 2-2 tie.
The No. 1 singles matchup featured Arovin and the Blue Raider’s Ben Davis. Davis won the first set 6-4. Arovin had a 3-2 lead in the second set before Davis closed out the match by winning four straight games.
The Blue Raiders sealed the match with Robin Riethmueller’s 6-0, 6-1, victory over Othon Lima.
“Many of the guys just lost on deciding points. The thing we will do differently is that we’re not going to let that happen again, to get into the deciding point,” said Arovin.
Esteban lost in the No. 2 match to Ettore Zito, 6-3, 6-2.
The Golden Eagles will face a familiar opponent this weekend in Chattanooga, as the Mocs defeated Tech 4-2 last season.
“We already know how they play from last year, they have the same lineup,” said Arovin
Chattanooga is off to a slow start this season as they lost their first five games before picking up their first victory this past weekend by beating Murray State 7-0.
“We’re preparing a different lineup for them, so it’s going to be kind of a surprise,” said Arovin. “We’re also going to continue to practice and know their strengths and weaknesses.”
Arovin was the only Tech player to win a singles match last season after he defeated Chattanooga’s Jorge Varon, 6-2, 6-3.
The match will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 8 at the Hixson Racket Club in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
