Once again, Oka grabs a win despite Eagles falling to Austin Peay

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman's men's tennis falls 6-1 to the Governors on their road trip to Clarksville. 

"Our doubles were much better," Coach Jim Frederick said. "We came close to winning the doubles point again."

The Eagles were just one match away from winning the doubles point as Frederick mentioned. Freshmen Rintaro Oka (Narita, Japan) and Hernan Toledo (Santiago, Chile) defeated Jacob Lorino and Timo Kiesslich for Austin Peay 6-4 at No. 2. Gabriel Dabdab (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Jesus Bacete-Sanz (Madrid, Spain) fell to Almantas Ozelis and Anton Damberg 6-4 at No. 1 doubles. Finishing the round at No. 3, Marc Bantel (Urbach, Germany) and Victor Ireno (Sau Paulo, Brazil) were defeated by Christian Edison and Chad Woodham 6-4 as well.

Oka, the undefeated freshman so far this season, cranked out the only win for the Eagles in singles. He came out on top against Kiesslich with ease it seemed with a score of 6-2, 6-4. 

"Rintaro played solid again," Frederick said. "We were competitive in three of the remaining singles matches, but we're a work in progress."

Joseph Stiles (New Oxford, PA) at No. 6 and Bantel at No. 4 put up fights in the first sets of their matches against the Govs but both fell short. Stiles fell to Hunter Sanders 7-6, 6-2 and Bantel was defeated by Anton Damberg 7-5, 6-2. 

The remaining three matches weren't as close. Dabdab fell to Ozelis at No. 1 6-0, 6-2 and Toledo at No. 3 to Edison 6-1, 6-1. Bacete-Sanz finished out the singles at No. 5 for the Eagles falling in similar fashion, 6-2, 6-3. 

The Eagles are now 1-4 so far this season and will be back in action against Sewanee on Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m.

- CN -