KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Kentucky University men's tennis team fell to 44^th ranked University of Tennessee and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in two dual matches Saturday at the Goodfriend Indoor Center.
 
The Colonels pushed the Salukis in Saturday's second match. After SIU won the doubles point and two singles points, Diogo Soares (6-4, 6-1), Guillem Sanchis (6-2, 6-4) and Florian Graskamp (6-1, 6-3) all reeled off singles wins to tie the match, 3-3. The Salukis won the decisive fourth point in the No. 1 singles match when Jonny Rigby edged Alex Alvaro in a tiebreaker (6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5)).
 
"We've got a lot of work to do," head coach Rob Oertel said. "If we want to be a great team, our top guys are going to have to play bigger. I think our depth is good, as you can see from most of the results so far."
 
Soares and Indra Patwardhan defeated SIU's Peter Molloy and Daniel Martinez in the No. 3 doubles match (6-1).
 
EKU fell to No. 44 Tennessee, 6-1.
 
Sebastian Mueller won the Colonels' lone point against the Vols, defeating Jack Schipanski in the No. 3 singles match (6-2, 1-6, 1-0, retired).
 
The nationally-ranked Volunteers featured the No. 75 singles player in the country, Igor Smelyanski, and the No. 23 doubles tandem, Luis Valero/Jack Schipanski.
 
EKU travels to Purdue on Saturday, January 23, to face Purdue and Western Michigan.
 
 
Southern Illinois University 4, Eastern Kentucky University 3

Singles

1. Jonny Rigby (SIU) def. Alex Álvaro (EKU) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5)
2. Michal Kianicka (SIU) def. Sebastian Mueller (EKU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Wilder Pimentel (SIU) def. Ramon van Flymen (EKU) 7-5, 7-5
4. Diogo Soares (EKU) def. Peter Molloy (SIU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Guillem Sanchis (EKU) def. Thomas Kyle (SIU) 6-2, 6-4?
6. Florian Graskamp (EKU) def. Daniel Martinez (SIU) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles

1. #41 Jonny Rigby/Michal Kianicka (SIU) def. Ramon van Flymen/Alex Álvaro (EKU) 6-2
2. Wilder Pimentel/Alex Pozo (SIU) def. Sebastian Mueller/Diego Asis (EKU) 6-3?
3. Diogo Soares/Indra Patwardhan (EKU) def. Peter Molloy/Daniel Martinez (SIU) 6-1

Match Notes:?Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,2,5,4,3,1*)
 
University of Tennessee 6, Eastern Kentucky University 1

Singles
 

1. #75 Igor Smelyanski (UT) def. Alex Álvaro (EKU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Timo Stodder (UT) def. Ramon van Flymen (EKU) 6-1, 6-0
3. Sebastian Mueller (EKU) def. Jack Schipanski (UT) 6-2, 1-6, 1-0, retired
4. Preston Touliatos (UT) def. Diogo Soares (EKU) 6-3, 6-2
5. Jack Heslin (UT) def. Guillem Sanchis (EKU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Marshall Sullivan (UT) def. Diego Asis (EKU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1

 
Doubles
 

1. #23 Luis Valero/Jack Schipanski (UT) def. Alex Álvaro/Ramon van Flymen (EKU) 6-4
2. Igor Smelyanski/Timo Stodder (UT) def. Sebastian Mueller/Diego Asis (EKU) 6-3
3. Preston Touliatos/Jack Heslin (UT) def. Diogo Soares/Florian Graskamp (EKU) 6-2

 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,5,1,3,4,6)