Men's tennis team has perfect day at national tournament

The Eastern Florida State College men's tennis team had a big day at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament in McKinney, Texas.

The Titans won every match on Tuesday at the Courts of McKinney and will play in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

The No. 1 doubles team of Hugo Car and Lucas Gonzalez had the only match that went to a third set as the duo lost the first set before rallying back to pick up the win.

After falling 6-3 in the first set and were down 2-0 in the second as Barton Community College's Fernando Andre and Sebastian Vilas were in control of the match.

Car and Gonzalez held serve to make it 2-1 and then forced deuce on the Barton serve. On the third advantage, the Titans duo tied the match 2-2. From there the two teams traded points and at 6-5 Car and Gonzalez got the break to tie the match and send it to the third set.

The third set was tied 3-3 when the Barton duo of Andre and Vilas got the break to take the lead 4-3. But it was short lived as Car and Gonzalez broke back to tie it 4-4. They would hold serve for the 5-4 lead and then won with one last break to advance to the quarterfinals.

Car and Gonzalez will play host Collin College's Luis Ching and Tristan Vigneron who are the No. 5 seed and won 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the quarterfinals.

Car also picked up a win at No. 1 singles as the No. 3 seed opened the tournament with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Paradise Valley's Sam Miyata. Car advanced to the quarterfinal where he will face Harford's Jaroslav Majsajdr who is the No. 6 seed at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Gonzalez defeated Jones College's Wallace Brewer at No. 2 singles in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals. Gonzalez won the match 6-1, 6-2 as the No. 4 seed will play No. 5 seed Tristan Vigneron from Collin College at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Eric Tripathi defeated Harford's James Girdler 6-3, 6-2 in the second round as the No. 3 seed is on to the quarterfinals. Tripathi will face No. 6 seed Hugo Blasco of Wallace State who won in straight sets. The No. 3 singles match will be at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Jack Dixon picked up a win at No. 4 singles, defeating Pablo Poleo 6-2, 6-1 to advance to the quarterfinals. The No. 3 seed will play No. 6 seed Andrew Kunaka from Iowa Central who also won in straight sets. Dixon will play Kunaka for a spot in the semifinals at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

At No. 5 singles, Jett Leong picked up a straight set win as the No. 3 seed defeated East Central Community College's Trey Posey 6-1, 6-0. Leong lost the first point and then won the next 12 to pick up the win. Leong will play Iowa Central's Zamani Moyo who is the No. 6 seed at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the quarterfinals. Moyo also won in straight sets.

Colin Tavares rolled into the quarterfinals at No. 6 singles, defeating Mississippi Gulf Coast's Triston Hill 6-0, 6-1. The No. 3 seed will play No. 6 seed Nafiralo Ouattara from Iowa Central. Ouattaro also won in straight sets on Tuesday. The quarterfinal match will begin at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Dixon and Tavares teamed up in No. 2 doubles and will play in the quarterfinals Wednesday after the duo defeated Paradise Valley's Franco Toscano and Arthur Van Schalk 6-1, 6-0. Dixon and Tavares will play Wallace State's Massimo Caliendo and Sebastian Gamez who had a tight three set match to advance to the quarterfinals. The match will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Eavan Attie and Tripathi advanced at the No. 3 doubles with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 win over Mississippi Gulf Coast's Hira Havard and Triston Hill. They will play ABAC's Benjamin Ranby-Al and Antoine Schaub who knocked off No. 6 seed Hudson Harden and Alex Jaulin of Wallace State in three sets. Ranby-Al and Schaub lost the first set 6-4, but came back to win 6-4, 6-3 to advance and will face Attie and Tripathi at 12:30 p.m. in the quarterfinals.

It marks the first time that the Titans have had all nine in the quarterfinals. Eastern Florida State College is one of five teams tied for first place overall.