PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Mid-South Conference play opened for the 18th-ranked University of Pikeville men's tennis team with a hard-fought 6-3 win over visiting Cumberlands on Sunday at Bob Amos Park.
The Bears grabbed an early 2-1 advantage in the match after doubles play as the second-seeded pair of Juan Reyes and Devon Sgubin beat Marc Homs and Adrian Elduque 8-4 and third-seeded Francois Billet and Pawel Tarasewicz topped Dev Sivam and Yusuke Matsuoka 8-3.
Leading 4-1 after wins from Reyes at No. 2 singles and Tarasewicz at No. 4, the Bears clinched the win when top-seeded Billet outlasted Eduardo Cabrera 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.
Cumberlands ended up with singles wins in the bottom two seeds as Dmitry Babekov added UPIKE's last win with a 3-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3 decision over Homs at the No. 3 seed.
UPIKE is back in action at 1 p.m. ET on Friday against Charleston at Bob Amos Park.
No. 18 UPIKE 6, Cumberlands 3
March 15, 2015 at Bob Amos Tennis Courts (Pikeville, Ky.)
Singles
1. Francois Billet (UPIKE) def. Eduardo Cabrera (UC) 6-1, 4-6, 7-5
2. Juan Reyes (UPIKE) def. Dan Fraser (UC) 6-1, 6-2
3. Dmitry Babenkov (UPIKE) def. Marc Homs (UC) 3-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3
4. Pawel Tarasewicz (UPIKE) def. Dev Sivam (UC) 6-1, 6-1
5. Adrian Elduque (UC) def. Marcos Fondelius (UPIKE) 7-5, 7-5
6. Yusuke Matsuoka (UC) def. Devon Sgubin (UPIKE) 7-6 (1), 6-3
Doubles
1. Cabrera/Fraser (UC) def. Babenkov/Fondelius (UPIKE) 9-8 (4)
2. Reyes/Sgubin (UPIKE) def. Homs/Elduque (UC) 8-4
3. Billet/Tarasewicz (UPIKE) def. Sivam/Matsuoka (UC) 8-3
Match Notes
UPIKE: 2-3, 1-0 MSC; National Ranking: No. 18
Cumberlands: 1-5, 0-1 MSC; National Ranking: NR
