Men's Tennis Downs Rival Tennessee Tech 6-1 on the Road Sunday

Box Score COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Completing its inaugural Horizon League road trip 2-0, the Belmont University men's tennis team earned a key 6-1 road victory Sunday afternoon at conference rival Tennessee Tech. Extending their winning streak to five, the Bruins (12-5) improved to 3-0 in Horizon League action behind strong play in both doubles and singles.
 
In a matchup of teams representing the last nine Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships who are both in their first season in the newly restructured Horizon League, Belmont swiftly took a 1-0 lead by capturing the doubles point. The Bruins got identical 6-3 wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles positions before taking five of the six singles matches.
 
The nationally-ranked tandem of graduate student Marko Ilic and junior Riccardo Trione topped the Golden Eagles' Elias Grubert and Paulo Ramos Martin at the top doubles spot as the duo of junior Tomas Luis and sophomore Ian Cruz defeated Tennessee Tech's Mika Berghaus and Pol Masafret at No. 3.
 
Sophomore Gabriel Sardo and junior Alfred Wallin were also nearly 6-3 winners at No. 2 doubles, leading the Golden Eagles' Evzen Holis and Jaime Paquet 5-3 when Belmont clinched the doubles point.
 
Cruz, Luis and Sardo all won in straight sets in singles with Cruz putting together the most dominant performance of the afternoon at the fourth spot. He earned his second double bagel of the season against Masafret, while Luis dismissed Holis 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. At the sixth flight, Sardo bested Paquet 7-5, 6-2.
 
Both Trione and Wallin prevailed in three-set affairs at No. 5 and No. 2 singles, respectively. On court five against Ramos Martin, Trione recovered from a 7-5 opening set tiebreak loss with a 6-4 set two win. In the deciding 10-point super tiebreaker, Trione won 10-7. At the second spot, Wallin battled Grubert as the two split 6-4 sets to set up a decisive third. In the 10-point breaker, Wallin withstood Grubert 11-9.
 
Tennessee Tech's lone point came at the top singles flight where Berghaus got past Ilic 6-4, 7-5.
 
The Golden Eagles (3-11, 3-1 Horizon) won last year's OVC Tournament and were the league's automatic qualifier for the NCAA Championship.
 
Full Match Results
Belmont 6, Tennessee Tech 1
 
Doubles
1. Marko Ilic/Riccardo Trione (BEL) def. Elias Grubert/Paulo Ramos Martin (TTU) 6-3
2. Gabriel Sardo/Alfred Wallin (BEL) led Evzen Holis/Jaime Paquet (TTU) 5-3, unfinished
3. Tomas Luis/Ian Cruz (BEL) def. Mika Berghaus/Pol Masafret (TTU) 6-3
 
Singles
1. Mika Berghaus (TTU) def. Marko Ilic (BEL) 6-4, 7-5
2. Alfred Wallin (BEL) def. Elias Grubert (TTU) 4-6, 6-4, 11-9
3. Tomas Luis (BEL) def. Evzen Holis (TTU) 6-4, 6-1
4. Ian Cruz (BEL) def. Pol Masafret (TTU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Riccardo Trione (BEL) def. Paulo Ramos Martin (TTU) 6-7 (5), 6-4, 10-7
6. Gabriel Sardo (BEL) def. Jaime Paquet 7-5, 6-2
 
Up Next
The Bruins return to the Music City next weekend, hosting Eastern Illinois Saturday before welcoming Lindenwood to the Beaman Family Tennis Complex Sunday. First serve versus the Panthers Saturday is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday's first serve versus the Lions is set for 2 p.m.
 
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