Ian Cruz Completes Undefeated Singles Weekend Sunday at Vanderbilt

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Taking on a talented Vanderbilt University squad midday Sunday at the Lummis Family Tennis Center in Nashville, the Belmont University men's tennis team was only able to notch one point in a 6-1 in-town road loss. Junior Ian Cruz prevailed in a third-set super tiebreaker as the Bruins (0-2) wrapped up their opening weekend.
 
Battling the Commodores' Juan Lopez at No. 3 singles, Cruz recovered from a 7-3 opening-set tiebreaker loss with a commanding 6-1 set two triumph. In the deciding 10-point tiebreak, Cruz came away victorious as he outlasted Lopez, 10-3.
 
Vanderbilt (6-1) secured the doubles point with 6-2 and 6-4 wins, respectively, at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. The top doubles duo of senior Alfred Wallin and redshirt junior Diego Castro were in a tightly contested match against 59th-ranked Jeremie Casabon and Nathan Cox when the doubles point was clinched.
 
Both Castro at No. 4 singles and senior Niklas von Hellens at No. 5 singles took eight games off their opponents but no other Belmont player other than Cruz was able to win a set.
 
Junior Ruben Busch, a transfer from NAIA Tennessee Wesleyan University, made his dual match debut for the Bruins at No. 6 singles.
 
Up Next
Belmont remains in the Music City next week, hosting former Ohio Valley Conference foe Eastern Kentucky Friday at 6 p.m. at the Ensworth Tennis Center. Next Sunday, the Bruins travel to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for an 11 a.m. first serve.
 
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