Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University recently issued the following announcement.
The Embry-Riddle men’s tennis registered the biggest upset in the Eagles’ NCAA II era on Wednesday. The 15th-ranked Eagles toppled third-ranked Saint Leo (1-1, 0-1) 4-3 in both teams’ first Sunshine State Conference match of the season. Super senior Juan Ortiz Couder clinched the victory for the Eagles who are now 1-1 on the year.
It took the Eagles 34 minutes to secure the doubles point as they picked up wins at the first and third positions. First off the court was the tandem of Alexis Guedy and Alvaro Diaz Rodrigo who made quick work of Luis Iriarte and Nicolas Barcella, 6-1 at the third spot. The top-flight duo of Juan Ortiz Couder and Andres Donayre went down a break early in the contest but won six straight games to upend Bruno Faletto and Willem Van Den Akker 6-3 and clinch the doubles point.
Donayre was the first to finish his singles match as he defeated Bacella in straight sets, 7-5 6-1. The next singles point went to Saint Leo as Brad Eidenmuller held off Tim Loerwink 6-3, 6-4 at No. 6.
The Lions tied things up when 45th-ranked Thiel held off Guedy 7-6 (5), 7-5 at the third spot, and SLU took the lead when Iriarte outlasted Diaz Rodrigo in three sets, 5-7, 1-6, 3-6.
Playing on the court four, Michele Iftimie lost his first set to Ghali Mensour, 6-2, but the ERAU newcomer rallied to win the next two sets 6-4, 6-4 and tie the team score at 3-3.
All attention then turned to the contest on court one where No. 38 Ortiz Couder and No. 27 Faletto were embroiled in a three-setter of their own. Faletto managed to hold off Ortiz Couder in a first set tiebreaker, 7-6 (5), but Ortiz Couder battled back to take the second 6-2 and force a third set.
Ortiz Couder took a 4-3 lead in the third, but Faletto registered a hold and a break to go ahead 5-4. With Faletto needing to win just one game to clinch the match, Ortiz Couder stood firm. He broke Faletto’s next service game, held, then went up 40-0 with Faletto serving before hitting a winner on a cross-court shot to clinch the ERAU win.
The Eagles go on the road for the first time this season on Saturday when they travel to West Palm Beach for a neutral site game against Florida National. Match time is slated for 1 p.m.
Original source can be found here.
