Men's tennis sweeps home stand, extends winning streak to 5 games

(Photo/Zenith Shrestha)The men's tennis team earned a 4-3 win against UT-Chattanooga and shutouts against Alabama A&M and Southern Mississippi.Dylan HurstStaff Writer The men’s tennis team won three games last weekend at the Lunsford Tennis Complex, defeating the likes of Alabama A&M, UT-Chattanooga and Southern Mississippi. The wins move the team’s record to 10-4 and extend the Trojans’ streak to five wins. Against Alabama A&M, the Trojans received their first win in doubles play with a 6-3 victory from freshman Carles Anton and junior Pelayo Antuna. Senior Oskar Michalek and freshman Javier Llinares were able to clinch the doubles point for Troy after they won 6-4 on court No. 3. The Trojans dominated singles play with all but one of the matches going closer than a 6-2 score. Redshirt junior Christopher Tasker won his matches 6-1, 6-0 on court No. 1. Llinares won both of his sets with a score of 6-2 while junior Antonio Selma clinched the match with scores of 6-2 and 6-1. On Friday against Chattanooga, the Trojans won their second game in two days after a tough 4-3 comeback victory. The Trojans received their first doubles win (6-2) from Tasker and junior Andy Romero as well as another victory from redshirt junior Christopher Tasker and Michalek. The clinching point came from Anton and Antuna on court No. 1 after a hard-fought 7-6 victory. The Trojans had to fight hard in singles play. After Antuna’s 6-2, 6-3 victory gave Troy a 2-0 lead, Chattanooga then won three straight sets on other courts to take a 3-2 lead in the match. On court 3, Michalek won his first set 6-2, but lost his second set. He then won the third set 6-4 set to tie the Trojans and Mocs at 3-3. The clinching point came from Llinares after he dropped his first set and then won back-to-back sets, (6-2, 5-7), to give Troy the 4-3 win. The Trojans kept their weekend record perfect after they defeated Southern Mississippi last Saturday. In doubles play, the Trojans received their first point after a 6-2 win from Anton and Antuna on court No. 2 as well as another 6-2 victory on court No. 1 from Tasker and Romero. The Trojans only needed 3 points in singles play to clinch the match. Llinares posted a 6-4, 6-1 victory to give Troy its first point. Michalek won by scoring 6-2 in both sets while Anton clinched the match after winning his two sets 6-1, 6-4. Next, the Trojans will put their winning streak on the line and head to Jackson, Mississippi, to take on Jackson State at 2 p.m.