Eastern Illinois grabs 5-2 OVC home win over Golden Eagles
Things never quite worked out Saturday for the Tennessee Tech tennis team, which dropped a 5-2 Ohio Valley Conference match at Eastern Illinois. The Golden Eagles got wins in the two top singles positions, but that was all they could muster in falling to the host Panthers.
By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Things never quite worked out Saturday for the Tennessee Tech tennis team, which dropped a 5-2 Ohio Valley Conference match at Eastern Illinois. The Golden Eagles (2-10/1-2 OVC) got wins in the two top singles positions, but that was all they could muster in falling to the host Panthers (5-5/2-1 OVC).
EIU took the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3, while the middle spot was tied at 7-7 when it was called off. At No. 1, the Panther pair of Kevin Bauman and Robert Skolik took the measure of Oleksiy Arovin and Alberto Esteban, 8-5, for the first win of the afternoon. Shortly afterward, Moritz Kandt and Grant Thompson defeated Gagan Jain and Alvaro Cintas, 8-5, at the No. 3 spot, and EIU held a 1-0 lead.
The lead went to 2-0 when Skolik finished off Vasily Eremeev in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0, at the No. 4 position.
Arovin improved to 10-2 in dual matches and gave Tech some hope with an easy 6-1, 6-2 victory Kandt at the No. 1 position, making it a 2-1 Eastern Illinois lead.
That hope was erased quickly when EIU posted straight set wins in the bottom two rungs of the lineup ladder to clinch the match with a 4-1 lead. First, Bauman downed Gonzalo Munoz, 6-0, 6-2, at the No. 6 match, and Henderson followed with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Cintas on the No. 3 court.
Esteban continued his fight at No. 2 singles, eventually claiming a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Thompson to make it 4-2. The final point went to EIU when RUi SIlva outlasted Jain at No. 5. After Jain took the tiebreaker in the first set, 7-6 (8), Silva took the next two sets, 6-3, 6-2.
Tech closes its road trip Sunday with a 10 a.m. match at SIU Edwardsville. Weather conditions may force the contest indoors. Live stats will be available here. On Saturday, SIUE lost a 4-0 match to Jacksonville State.
Eastern Illinois 5, Tennessee Tech 2
Singles
No. 1 - Oleksiy Arovin (TTU) def. Moritz Kandt, 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 - Alberto Esteban (TTU) def. Grant Thompson, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
No. 3 - Ryan Henderson (EIU) def. Alvaro Cintas, 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 - Robert Skolik (EIU) def. Vasily Eremeev, 6-4, 6-0
No. 5 - Rui Silva (EIU) def. Gagan Jain, 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 - Kevin Bauman (EIU) def. Gonzalo Munoz, 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 - Kevin Bauman/Robert Skolik (EIU) def. Oleksiy Arovin/Alberto Esteban, 8-5
No. 2 - Ryan Henderson/Rui Silva (EIU) vs. Artem Tarasov/Vasily Eremeev,unfinished (7-7)
No. 3 - Moritz Kandt/Grant Thompson (EIU) def. Gagan Jain/Alvaro Cintas, 8-5
Order of Finish:
Doubles - 1,3
Singles - 4,1,6,3,2,5
Records:
Tennessee Tech - 2-10/1-2 OVC
Eastern Illinois - 5-5/2-1 OVC
