ETSU flexes muscles in 4-1 win in Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (March 27, 2022) – Chalk up another win for the 73^rd-ranked ETSU Men’s Tennis team as the Bucs captured the 63^rd Ralph O’Connor Rice Invitational Championship with a 4-1 win over Rice on Sunday afternoon in Houston, Texas.

The Bucs claimed the doubles point for the early 1-0 advantage. Dimitri Badra (Maracay, Venezuela) and Francisco Lamas (Maracay, Venezuela) picked up a 6-3 win in the No. 2 slot, while Thiago Pernas (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and Frazier Rengifo (Cali, Colombia) polished off the doubles point with a 6-3 win in the top slot over Wes Barnett and Sumit Sarkar.

The Owls tied the match at one apiece with a win in the No. 2 slot but the Bucs responded with three consecutive singles wins to pull away for the victory. Juan Sebastian Zabala (Guayaquil, Ecuador) put ETSU back on top, 2-1, with a 6-1, 6-2 singles win over Karol Paluch in the No. 5 slot. Pernas extended ETSU’s lead to 3-1 with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Eduardo Morais in the No. 6 slot.

The match was clinched from the No. 3 position with Rengifo toppling Adam Oscilawski, 6-3, 6-2 for the 4-1 victory in favor of the Blue & Gold.

ETSU will turn its focus back on Southern Conference play on Friday, April 1 with 3 p.m. showdown against UNCG in Johnson City, Tenn. The Bucs will then host Chattanooga on Sunday, April 3 at 3 p.m.

Singles Competition

1. Dimitri Badra (ETSU) vs. Sumit Sarkar (RICE), 6-3, 4-3 unfinished
2. Haoyuan Huang (RICE) def. Yusuf Khamis (ETSU), 6-3, 6-0
3. Frazier Rengifo (ETSU) def. Adam Oscislawski (RICE), 6-3, 6-2
4. Hugo Lobo (ETSU) vs. Wes Barnett (RICE), 6-7, 1-2 unfinished
5. Juan Sebastian Zabala (ETSU) def. Karol Paluch (RICE), 6-1, 6-2
6. Thiago Pernas (ETSU) def. Eduardo Morais (RICE), 6-1, 6-1

Doubles Competition

1. Thiago Pernas/Frazier Rengifo (ETSU) def. Wes Barnett/Sumit Sarkar (RICE), 6-3
2. Dimitri Badra/Francisco Lamas (ETSU) def. Karol Paluch/AJ Valenty (RICE), 6-3
3. Haoyuan Huang/Eduardo Morais (RICE) def. Yusuf Khamis/Juan Sebastian Zabala (ETSU), 6-2

Match Notes: #73 ETSU 12-5, Rice 10-11
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,5,6,3)

For more information on Buccaneer men’s tennis visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s tennis page.