CINCINNATI, Ohio — Despite putting up a valiant effort, the Tennessee State men's tennis team narrowly fell to Xavier University in a hard-fought battle on the road Sunday afternoon, with a final score of 4-3.
The doubles portion of play set the tone for the match with Xavier claiming victories in the #1 and #2 doubles competitions. Tennessee State managed to secure a win in the #3 doubles as Christopher Bogelin / Nicholas Adamec won 6-4, but it wasn't enough to sway the momentum in their favor.
As the competition shifted to singles play, TSU secured notable victories from Daniel Caraballo, Taj Hibbert, and Christopher Bogelin. Caraballo (6-3, 6-4) and Hibbert (4-6, 6-2, 6-4) delivered strong performances in their respective matches, clinching wins for Tennessee State in the #1 and #2 singles slots. Bogelin followed suit with a commanding victory in the #6 singles, winning 6-1, 6-2.
"We're still not at full strength," stated head coach Todd Smith. "Rohan Loubser is the latest player to miss action due to injury. It's been a tough season with 12 of the last 20 matches without a starter." Despite these setbacks, Smith emphasized the team's resilience, saying, "It's definitely humbled us but it's also hardened us and makes us a stronger unit. I am confident we will finish strong for the last 3 conference matches and the conference tournament."
The Tigers have three OVC matches left on their schedule along with a matchup against Georgia. TSU will take on EIU on Friday, Southern Indiana on Saturday, and Georgia on Sunday.
