RICHMOND, Ky. – In a battle of OVC unbeatens, the Eastern Kentucky University men’s tennis team outlasted visiting Tennessee Tech Sunday afternoon in the Greg Adams Indoor Tennis Center, 5-2. With the win, EKU improves to 11-8 overall and 4-0 in the OVC.

Sophomores Philip Janz (No. 5) and Carles Pons (No. 6) made sure the Colonels would hang on for the win by taking the final two matches of the contest. Janz rallied for a three-set victory while Pons edged Tennessee Tech’s Oscar Pachon in a pair of tie-breakers.

“Our team gutted this one out today,” EKU head coach Rob Oertel said. “I have a feeling we could see Tennessee Tech again in the OVC tournament. They have a heck of a team.”

The Colonels wrap up their 2010 home schedule on Tuesday, March 30 against rival Morehead State. Match time is set for 3 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky 5, Tennessee Tech 2

Singles
1. Alex Das (EKU) def. Alex Chen (TTU) 6-1, 7-5
2. Josh Girling (TTU) def. Niklas Schroeder (EKU) 7-6, 6-3
3. Nicholas Stafford (TTU) def. Hugo Klientovsky (EKU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
4. Carlos Valdenebro (EKU) def. Justin Kirstein (TTU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Philip Janz (EKU) def. Arturo Santa Ruiz (TTU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
6. Carles Pons (EKU) def. Oscar Pachon (TTU) 7-6, 7-6

Doubles
1. Girling/Stafford (TTU) def. Janz/Schroeder (EKU) 8-7
2. Das/Valdenebro (EKU) def. Chen/Harris (TTU) 8-0
3. Klientovsky/Pons (EKU) def. Pachon/Santa Ruiz (TTU) 8-6

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (11-8, 4-0 OVC); Tennessee Tech (5-4, 3-1 OVC)
Order of Finish: Doubles (2, 3, 1); Singles (2, 1, 4, 3, 5*, 6)