No. 24 Michigan edges No. 55 ETSU, 4-3, in NCAA Tournament

Friday, May 13, 2016

Bucs finish the 2016 season with a record of 18-6 overall

WINSTON SALEM, N.C. (May 13, 2016) – The 55^th-ranked ETSU men’s tennis team nearly picked up its third all-time victory in the NCAA Tournament Friday but No. 24 Michigan slightly edged ETSU, 4-3. The loss moves the Bucs’ record to 18-6 overall, which is their most wins since the 2008 season.

“It was a hell of a college tennis match,” remarked ETSU Head Coach Yaser Zaatini. “We gave it all we had and came up just short. The loss leaves a huge empty spot in our gut but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Our boys represented ETSU with the highest sense of pride and love. If we had to lose, this is the way wanted it.”

The match began with three doubles matches with identical 7-5 final scores. Diego Nunez (Monterrey, Mexico) and Robert Herrera (Barcelona, Spain) picked up a win in the No. 2 position but the Wolverines won in the other two spots to claim the doubles point.

After Carter Lin defeated Nunez 6-3, 6-1 to make the score 2-0 Michigan, the Bucs reeled off three straight victories from David Biosca (Sant Fruitos De Bage, Spain), Herrera and Rogerio Ribeiro (Sao Paulo, Brazil) to give the team its first lead of the game, 3-2. Unfortunately for ETSU, Michigan won the final two singles contests in three sets to seal the 4-3 win.

ETSU will lose four seniors but are set to bring back six players from this season’s squad for the 2017 campaign.

Singles competition

1. #80 David Biosca (ETSU) def. Alex Knight (MICH) 7-5, 6-4

2. Rogerio Ribeiro (ETSU) def. #96 Jathan Malik (MICH) 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2

3. Carter Lin (MICH) def. Diego Nunez (ETSU) 6-3, 6-1

4. Robert Herrera (ETSU) def. Runhao Hua (MICH) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4

5. Kevin Wong (MICH) def. Sebastian Yllera (ETSU) 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3

6. Davis Crocker (MICH) def. Ismael Merino (ETSU) 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 7-5

Doubles competition

1. Alex Knight/Runhao Hua (MICH) def. #63 David Biosca/Rogerio Ribeiro (ETSU) 7-5

2. Diego Nunez/Robert Herrera (ETSU) def. Jathan Malik/Kevin Wong (MICH) 7-5

3. Myles Schalet/Tyler Gardiner (MICH) def. Ismael Merino/Sebastian Yllera (ETSU) 7-5

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