RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s tennis team split a pair of matches Saturday in the Greg Adams Tennis Center. EKU defeated Chattanooga (6-1) in the opener before falling to Xavier (6-1) in the nightcap. The Colonels move to 2-2 for the season.

Against the Mocs, Eastern swept all six singles matches to claim the win. Sophomore Alex Das Izquierdo (No. 1) and senior Mel Segota (No. 2) pulled out their matches in three sets. This was the first win for EKU over Chattanooga in eight years under head coach Rob Oertel.

“I was proud of how we competed and came through in all of the tough singles matches against UTC today,” Oertel said. “That match took a lot out of us for the Xavier match, but the Musketeers are a solid team that made the NCAAs last year and look even better this year.”

Newcomer Parul Verma (No. 5) was the only Colonel to prevail against Xavier. Three of the six singles matches went to three sets with Xavier taking two of those contests.

The Colonels are back in action next Saturday, Feb. 7, with a home match against Minnesota.

Eastern Kentucky 6, Chattanooga 1

Singles
1. Alex Das Izquierdo (EKU) def. Peter Sauska (UTC) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
2. Mel Segota (EKU) def. Pavel Vostrikov (UTC) 7-6, 3-6, 7-6
3. Niklas Schroeder (EKU) def. Rick van de Bovenkamp (UTC) 7-6, 6-4
4. Carlos Valdenebro (EKU) def. Dakota Pate (UTC) 7-5, 6-2
5. Carles Pons Escanilla (EKU) def. Sam Parfitt (UTC) 6-4, 6-4
6. Emilio Piriz (EKU) def. Gordon Rudell (UTC) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles
1. Parfitt/Vostrikov (UTC) def. Das Izquierdo/Schroeder (EKU) 8-6
2. Pate/Sauska (UTC) def. Segota/Valdenebro (EKU) 9-8
3. Rudell/van de Bovenkamp (UTC) def. Piriz/Pons Escanilla (EKU) 9-8

Xavier 6, Eastern Kentucky 1

Singles
1. Doug Matthews (XU) def. Alex Das Izquierdo (EKU) 6-4, 6-1
2. Chris Herrlinger (XU) def. Mel Segota (EKU) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
3. Ra’ees Ismail (XU) def. Carlos Valdenebro (EKU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Bobby Deye (XU) def. Niklas Schroeder (EKU) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
5. Parul Verma (EKU) def. Richard Canelas (XU) 6-3, 3-6, 10-4
6. Mike Dieciuc (XU) def. Carles Pons Escanilla (EKU) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles
1. Herrlinger/Matthews (XU) def. Das Izquierdo/Schroeder (EKU) 8-3
2. Ismail/Torbeck (XU) def. Segota/Valdenebro (EKU) 8-4
3. Deye/Palmenter (XU) def. Pons Escanilla/Verma (EKU) 8-5