DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NAIA second-ranked Embry-Riddle men's tennis team fought hard, but suffered its first loss of the season on Saturday afternoon, falling 6-3 to NCAA II No. 3 Barry University at ERAU's Crotty Tennis Complex.  The loss drops the Eagles overall record to 4-1 on the season.
 
The Blue and Gold fell behind early losing its first two doubles matches.  Luke de Caires and Miguel Lopez Gomez first fell to Barry's Franco Echenique and Dominik Haider 8-3 at No. 2 doubles.  Shortly after, Deni Zmak and Jaime Sanchez-Canamares Rios dropped an 8-4 decision to Ahmed Triki and Fabian Groetsch at No. 1 doubles.
 
However, the highlight of the day for the Eagles came at the end of doubles competition when Carlos Becke and Fabian Zierleyn won a very exciting 9-8 decision over Renato Lombardi and Kevin Sielmann.  It was a back and forth match between the pairs with Becke and Zierleyn taking a 2-1 advantage early before falling behind 3-2.  The two Eagles then scored four straight points to take a 6-3 lead, but Lombardi and Sielmann fought back to make it 7-6 and eventually took a 8-7 advantage.  Becke and Zierleyn were able to tie up the match at 8 points apiece and then dominated the tiebreaker 7-2 to win the final point and cut Barry's advantage to 2-1 heading into singles play.
 
Unfortunately for the Eagles, they were not able to make a comeback during singles competition as they lost three quick straight-set decisions.  Haider defeated Lopez Gomez at the fifth position 6-1, 6-1, and several minutes later Nico Dreer beat Becke 6-4, 6-4 at the third position.  Sielmann then clinched the win for the Buccaneers at the No. 4 position by defeating Zierleyn 6-2, 6-1.
 
Sanchez-Canamares Rios nearly mounted a comeback victory over Triki at No. 2 singles but lost in a third set 10-point tiebreaker, 3-6, 6-3, 6-10.
 
ERAU was able to pick up two singles victories though as Zmak defeated Groetsch 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 1 spot, while Rodolfo Arreygue came back from losing his first set to Lombardi to win in a third set 10-point tiebreaker, claiming a 4-6, 6-3, 10-1 victory at the sixth position.
 
Embry-Riddle will return to action next week on Feb. 26 when the team hits the road to take on St. Leo University. 
 
Singles Competition
1. Deni Zmak (ERAU) def. Fabian Groetsch (BARRY) 6-2, 6-4
2. Ahmed Triki (BARRY) def. Jaime Sanchez-Canama (ERAU) 6-3, 3-6, 10-6
3. Nico Dreer (BARRY) def. Carlos Becke (ERAU) 6-4, 6-4
4. Kevin Sielmann (BARRY) def. Fabian Zierleyn (ERAU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Dominik Haider (BARRY) def. Miguel Lopez Gomez (ERAU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Rodolfo Arreygue (ERAU) def. Renato Lombardi (BARRY) 4-6, 6-3, 10-1

Doubles Competition
1. Ahmed Triki/Fabian Groetsch (BARRY) def. Deni Zmak/Jaime Sanchez-Canama (ERAU) 8-4
2. Carlos Becke/Fabian Zierleyn (ERAU) def. Renato Lombardi/Kevin Sielmann (BARRY) 9-8 (7-2)
3. Franco Echenique/Dominik Haider (BARRY) def. Miguel Lopez Gomez/Luke de Caires (ERAU) 8-3
 
Match Notes:
Barry 3-0; National ranking #3
Embry-Riddle 4-1; National ranking #2
Sielmann clinched in No. 4 singles