NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Spoiling the Belmont University men's tennis team's unbeaten weekend, North Alabama edged the Bruins 4-3 late Sunday afternoon indoors at the Ensworth Tennis Center in Nashville. Despite Belmont (2-2) taking the crucial doubles point, the visiting Lions (1-1) won four of six singles matches to hand the Bruins their first home loss of the season.
The doubles tandem of junior
Esunge Ndumbe and freshman
Charlie Robin wasted little time in securing the first set win of the day at the No. 2 spot with a 6-1 rout of North Alabama's Samu Dominguez and Izan Orgiles. Senior
Diego Castro and junior
Eli Mizerski then clinched the all-important doubles point with a 6-3 win over the Lions' Satoru Nakajima and Lachlan Brain at the No. 3 spot.
At No. 1 doubles, junior
Sabi Roi and freshman
Esteban Ortiz were knotted up with North Alabama's Birtan Duran and Nazar Fedoryshyn at 4-all.
"I thought our doubles did an excellent job to start the match across all three lines," commented second-year head coach
Jeff Cero. "From there, we could've transitioned a lot better to singles in all of our first sets, but props to North Alabama for coming out strong and ready to play. Sabi (Roi) and Charlie (Robin) did an excellent job finding their game and winning their singles matches, but we missed one too many opportunities to win this one."
All six singles matches were decided in straight sets with both Roi and Robin collecting wins on courts two and three.
The Lions took a 3-1 lead with wins on courts four through six. Castro at No. 4 singles dropped a 6-4, 6-4 match to North Alabama's Fedoryshyn, while Mizerski battled the Lions' Dominguez in an opening set tiebreaker but ultimately fell 7-6 (2), 6-2 at the No. 6 spot.
Roi and Robin halted North Alabama's momentum with Roi defeating the Lions' Orgiles 6-4, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. Robin evened things at 3-3 as he took out North Alabama's Duran at No. 3 singles, claiming a 7-4 first-set tiebreak and a 6-3 second set.
The match came down to the top singles spot where Ndumbe faced the Lions' Brain, who won the opening set 6-2. In a second-set tiebreaker, Ndumbe was unable to force a third set as Brain sealed the set and match 7-3 in the breaker.
"All in all, I thought we gave ourselves a good chance to beat a team that could be nationally ranked this season," said coach Cero. "Although it's difficult to lose these close matches, there is a lot to learn from and build upon moving forward with our season. We're looking forward to getting back to the practice courts after this one before taking on Vanderbilt and Louisville."
Up Next
Belmont will have six days off from match action before hitting the road next weekend. The Bruins will make the very short trek down Wedgewood/Blakemore Avenue next Saturday to face Vanderbilt before traveling to Louisville next Sunday. First serve against the Commodores in the Music City Saturday is set for 11 a.m. from the Lummis Family Tennis Center.
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