NORMAL, Ill. – For the first time this season, the Illinois State men's tennis team was able to play outdoors on their home courts, as the Redbirds hosted Oral Roberts Friday afternoon in Summit League action. The Redbirds took the early lead and never looked back as they picked up a 5-2 win over the Golden Eagles to pick up their first league win of the season.
"This was a great overall performance by the boys today," ISU head coach Mark Klysner said. "We played some really good doubles, which gave us a lot of momentum going into the singles portion of the match. Credit to Oral Roberts, as they pushed us into a few third sets and we simply elevated our own games and we closed out the matches we needed."
In doubles action, Diego Le Gal Perez and Melker Isaksson defeated Eddy Leardini and Meg Siritaworachan, 6-4, at the No. 3 spot to take the advantage and then the duo of Aleksa Lazarevic and Pol Botifoll Rius picked up a 6-4 at the No. 2 spot to secure the early doubles point for the Redbirds.
Isaksson picked up the first win in singles action at the No. 6 spot, as he took down Meg Siritaworachan in straight sets 6-4, 6-3. Diego Emilio Moura Herrera then picked up a 6-2, 6-2 straight set win at the No. 4 spot for ISU to increase the lead to 3-0. A win at No. 1 by ORU cut into the Redbird lead, but a three-set win by Le Gal Perez over Albert Chudy at the No. 3 spot secured the win. Lazarevic closed out the impressive ISU effort with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at the No. 5 spot for the fifth Redbird point of the match.
The Redbirds continue Summit League play on Saturday, when they host nationally-ranked Denver for a 1 p.m. match outdoors at the Gregory Street Courts.
RESULTS: ILLINOIS STATE (5), ORAL ROBERTS (2)
Singles Competition
1. Volodymyr Zakharov (ORU) def. Nam Pham (ILS) 1-6, 6-4, 6-0
2. Marcello Moreira (ORU) def. Pol Botifoll Rius (ILS) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
3. Diego Le Gal Perez (ILS) def. Albert Chudy (ORU) 6-0, 1-6, 6-4
4. Diego Emilio Moura Herrera (ILS) def. Andre Russo (ORU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Aleksa Lazarevic (ILS) def. Eddy Leardini (ORU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
6. Melker Isaksson (ILS) def. Meg Siritaworachan (ORU) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles Competition
1. Nam Pham/Ming-Chieh Chiu (ILS) vs. Volodymyr Zakharov/Marcello Moreira (ORU) 5-5, unfinished
2. Aleksa Lazarevic/Pol Botifoll Rius (ILS) def. Albert Chudy/Andre Russo (ORU) 6-4
3. Diego Le Gal Perez/Melker Isaksson (ILS) def. Eddy Leardini/Meg Siritaworachan (ORU) 6-4
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