COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s tennis team dropped a very tight 4-3 decision to host Tennessee Tech Saturday. The loss snapped a 25-match OVC regular season winning streak dating back to 2008.

“Tennessee Tech was focused and determined to win today and I don’t think we were at that same level,” EKU head coach Rob Oertel said. “This could be a team we see again down the road and I definitely think we need to be more prepared.”

The deciding match came at No. 3 singles where TTU’s Alejandro Bueno held off senior Philip Janz, 6-2, 7-5.

Oertel noted that seniors Hugo Klientovsky (No. 1) and Niklas Schroeder (No. 2) were a pair of bright spots on a disappointing day.

The Colonels are back in action next weekend with home OVC matches against Eastern Illinois (March 31) and SIUE (April 1).

Tennessee Tech 4, Eastern Kentucky 3

Singles
1. Hugo Klientovsky (EKU) def. Syrym Abdukhalikov (TTU)  7-6 (0), 6-0
2. Niklas Schroeder (EKU) def. Alex Chen (TTU)    1-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Alejandro Bueno (TTU) def. Philip Janz (EKU)    6-2, 7-5
4. Parul Verma (EKU) def. Artem Tarasov (TTU)    4-6, 6-2, 6-0
5. Justin Kirstein (TTU) def. Carles Pons (EKU)    6-1, 6-3
6. Vasily Eremeev (TTU) def. Craig Campbell (EKU)   6-0, 6-4

Doubles
1. Klientovsky/Pons (EKU) def. Abdukhalikov/Chen (TTU)  8-6
2. Eremeev/Tarasov (TTU) def. Janz/Schroeder (EKU)   8-4
3. Bueno/Kirstein (TTU) def. Campbell/Verma (EKU)   8-4

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (12-7, 2-1 OVC); Tennessee Tech (3-7, 1-0 OVC)
Order of Finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (6, 1, 5, 3*, 4, 2)