DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For the second time in the eight days, the Embry-Riddle men's tennis team knocked off a top-three foe. The Eagles, ranked seventh in the latest ITA/NCAA II poll, swept doubles and won four singles matches on the way to a 5-2 upset of second ranked Valdosta State, Friday at the Crotty Tennis Complex.
 
The Eagles dominated doubles play to start Friday's contest, sweeping all three doubles points. Playing at the third spot, Alexis Guedy and Alvaro Diaz Rodrigo were the first to register a win, downing Swann Flohr and Edward Etty 6-2.
 
The match at No. 1 doubles pitted VSU's second ranked pair of Rodrigo Carvalho and Luca Mack against Juan Ortiz Couder and Andres Donayre. Ortiz Couder and Donayre put their stamp on the match early and went on to upend their ranked counterparts 6-3 to assure the Eagles of the doubles point.
 
The Blazers leveled the match when Lamar Bartley topped Donayre 6-1, 6-1 on court two, but the Eagles reclaimed the lead when No. 21 Guedy held off No. 29 Rodrigo Carvalho 6-2, 7-6 (.8-6).
 
The match at the fourth position between Iftimie and Christian Wedel more than two hours and went to three sets. Iftimie pulled a 7-6 (4) win in the first set but Wedel came back to force a third set with a 6-4 win in the second. In the third set, Iftimie opened up a 5-2 advantage, but once again, Wedel responded and forced an extra set. After being broken, twice in the third, Iftimie held serve in the final game to clinch the win for the Blue and Gold, 7-5.
 
The Eagles picked up their fifth point at the fifth position where Alvaro Diaz Rodrigo battled Christian Felline 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
 
The Eagles' next match will be against Sunshine State Conference foe Eckerd at 2 p.m. on Thursday.