Men's tennis wins road thriller over UNA

In a tight matchup against North Alabama, the Troy’s men’s tennis team managed to bring home a 4-3 win against the Lions. The Trojans improved to 9-4 on the season with the big road win. 

From the jump, the match was hotly contested. While North Alabama took the first doubles match, the Trojans punched back to win the other two doubles matches by a combined two games. 

The doubles match up on court two started strong, as freshman Ryusei Miyazato and junior Luciano Alcocer secured a 7-6 win. On court three, senior Yeray Andres Pastor and sophomore Henrique de Brito also gained a 7-6 win, with both duos helping claim the doubles point. 

The Trojans found themselves in a difficult place as the singles matches began, losing the first two matches to the Lions before Hiro Sakamoto won 6-2, 6-4 on his court, bringing the energy the Trojans needed and tying the match up 2-2. 

Andres Pastor dropped his singles match, but Alcocer came back with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win to knot it up at 3-3. All the pressure came down to a true freshman in a marathon match. 

In play for the win, all hope was placed on Stephan Tavares Noale on court five. After dropping the first set 5-7, Noale bounced back with a 7-6 win in set two. He took down UNA’s S. Balfour Dominguez 6-4 in the third set to clinch the win for the Trojans. 

On March 8, the Trojans will return home to face Louisiana and kick off Sun Belt Conference play. The Trojans went 4-3 in Sun Belt play last season. Play will begin at 10 a.m. at the Lunsford Tennis Complex.