VALDOSTA, Ga. – Coming down to the No. 2 flight in singles, the University of West Alabama men's tennis team could not clinch the final singles point, as No. 16 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University picked up the 4-3 win, Sunday afternoon from the VSU Tennis Courts on the campus of Valdosta State University.
West Alabama drops to 4-6 on the campaign, while Embry-Riddle goes to 11-2 on the season.
"The men had a battle today against a very good team, and this was as close of a match as there can be. The men need to keep battling like this and good things will happen," said head coach
Jeff Beaman.
UWA got out to a 1-0 lead after taking two doubles points as the top flights put UWA out in front.
Lucas Hammond and
Jacob Tapia (4-1) took the 7-6 win with the 7-3 tiebreak at the top flight.
ERAU took the lead with wins at the No. 4 and No. 6 spots in singles, but Hammond's (4-6) straight-set win over Safar Rasulov evened the contest back up at two points apiece.
The Eagles made it 3-2 with Michele Eiftimie's win at the No. 3 over Ishikawa, but Tapia (4-1) kept the Tigers in it with a 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-3 comeback victory at the No. 5 to even the match at 3-3,
With the No. 2 flight between Igbinovia and Joshua Nuyts left to be decided, UWA got out in front with a 7-6 (3) victory in the first set, but ERAU rallied in the next two to win the match, 3-6, 6-7 (3).
The Tigers will next begin a stretch of three straight top 10 opponents, starting with No. 8 Florida Southern on Tuesday afternoon.
