DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The 12th-ranked Embry-Riddle men's tennis team concluded the 2024 regular season on Thursday with a 7-0 sweep over Southeastern, the No. 13 team in the NAIA, at the Crotty Tennis Complex. The Eagles (14-5) had revenge on their mind after dropping last year's meeting 4-3, which was the program's only loss to the Fire (17-5) in 11 total matches.
Both sides brought a pair of ranked duos to the competition. To start, 17th-ranked
Michele Iftimie and
Joshua Nuyts were defeated 6-2 by No. 5 Diego Menendez and Bruno Pessoa in doubles No. 1.
Alvaro Diaz Rodrigo and
Safar Rasulov came back from a 3-2 deficit to win 6-4 at No. 2 for the pair's fourth-consecutive doubles win, leaving it up to No. 38
Caelan Potts and
Fernando Alonso to try and grab the opening point for the Blue and Gold. They were on the brink of defeat with the score at 5-4 in favor of No. 22 Mark Griffin and Piero Fernandez. The visitors were ahead 40-love when Potts and Alonso fought off four match points to win the game, and they eventually forced a tiebreaker that the duo claimed 7-3 for a massive come-from-behind victory.
Alonso got singles play going at No. 4 singles with a quick 6-4, 6-4 victory over Gustavo Rubio for his eighth win in his last nine completed matches. Iftimie then hung in for a two-set win (6-4, 7-5) against Griffin at the third spot.
No. 31 Rasulov then sealed the win for Embry-Riddle by defeating No. 70 Orihuela at No. 1. Court No. 2 saw No. 59 Nuyts narrowly stave off Fernandez 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3).
Potts dispatched Federico Boscolo 6-0, 6-2 in the senior's first time playing at No. 6 this season. Diaz Rodrigo then concluded the match at No. 5 with a decisive 6-0, 6-4 win over Sam Reeder to improve to 16-1 during the spring slate.
The Eagles now turn their attention to postseason play with the Sunshine State Conference Tournament. The first round has No.4-seed Embry-Riddle facing No. 5-seed Lynn at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 26. All matches will be held at the Beerman Tennis Center in Lakeland, Fla.
