Nashville, Tenn. — The Belmont Bruins Men's Tennis Team sealed a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship Saturday, as they defeated the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, 4-2.
For the first time in program history, Belmont will play in the conference championship and will face the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, the team the Bruins beat to earn the top seed in the OVC tournament.
Belmont was very successful in doubles play, as they were able to win the first two matches that finished.
Hendrik Inno and Marko Ilic were very successful in their match against Ramon van Flymen and Gabriel Ruiz. With some beautiful touch shots from the two of them that would have made John McEnroe blush, they were able to win in decisive fashion, 6-1.
With Stephen Goldman / Zak Khan struggling in their match, it was up to David Faulkner and Vincent Sterkens to earn the doubles point for Belmont. They did just that, as they were able to win a tightly contested match at 6-3.
In singles play, Belmont and Eastern Kentucky were dead even until Ilic and Vincent Sterkens were able to break it wide open and win the overall match for Belmont.
On court 6, Jake Briggs was the first to finish, as he was able to cruise his way to victory to give Belmont the second point. Known as one of the louder guys on the court, he was able to use his intense energy in the match to carry himself through a dominating performance, winning 6-4, 6-1 against Carlos Dodero.
On court 5, Stephen Goldman was the second to finish as he was unable to earn a point for Belmont. He lost a match that was visibly frustrating for him against Nicolas Castaldo, 6-2, 6-4.
On court 1, Inno was the third to finish as he lost his match in two sets. He lost to Van Flyman, 6-3, 6-4.
On court 2, Ilic won a very closely contested first set at 6-4. It took Ilic a while to find his groove in that first set, but once he did, he was able to play with style. He had a beautiful play in the last game of the first set in which he was able to sky rocket a lob shot right in the perfect spot just behind his opponent, and then when he returned his opponent's shot, he was able to slice the ball just right to make it out of reach for his opponent. From then on, he was able to finish the job, as he won the second set, 5-2.
Finally on court 3, Vincent Sterkens was the one who put it away. After he gave up the second set to Guillem Sanchis, 4-6, he found his groove and was able to shut the door by winning the final set of the whole match, 6-4.
Belmont will take on Tennessee Tech in the OVC Championship on Sunday, 10 a.m. at Centennial Sportsplex.
