PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- The team motto of playing with heart, fight and desire came through in shining colors for the University of Pikeville men's tennis team as it came back from an early deficit to beat Union 5-4 on Sunday at the Bob Amos Complex.

The Bulldogs claimed a 2-1 lead after doubles play and continued to win the first singles match to finish as third-seeded Adrian Frutos topped UPIKE's Fernando Fernandez 6-3, 6-4 to put Union up 3-1.

But not looking to go down without a fight, the Bears won four of the next five matches to pull off the comeback win.

It was the bottom of the singles order that made the difference. Trailing 4-2 as a team, No. 4-seed Eric Bernabeu got the Bears started with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Egil Brudrik. Then fifth-seeded Juan Reyes followed suit with a hard-fought 7-6 (13), 6-4 win over Tiago Gil.

Now, with the match knotted up at four wins each, the entire day came down to the sixth seed where Oriol Puig stepped into the lineup and won 7-5, 6-2 over Sam Jackson to seal the win.  

Up Next

UPIKE travels to IU Southeast at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday in New Albany, Ind.

Singles

1. Ignacio Tejerina (UC) def. Jan Kappes (UPIKE) 4-6, 7-6, 6-4

2. Enzo Douillac (UPIKE) def. Borna Bartolovic (UC) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

3. Adrian Frutos (UC) def. Fernando Fernandez (UPIKE) 6-3, 6-4

4. Eric Bernabeu (UPIKE) def. Egil Brudrik (UC) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4

5. Juan Reyes (UPIKE) def. Tiago Gil (UC) 7-6 (13), 6-4

6. Oriol Puig (UPIKE) def. Sam Jackson (UC) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles

1. Adrian Frutos/Borna Bartolovic (UC) def. Enzo Douillac/Jan Kappes (UPIKE) 9-7

2. Tiago Gil/Ignacio Tejerina (UC) def. Eric Bernabeu/Diego Reboredo (UPIKE) 8-5

3. Fernando Fernandez/Oriol Puig (UPIKE) def. Egil Brudrik/Sam Jackson (UC) 8-5

Match Notes

(RV) UPIKE 3-1

Union 1-4

-UPIKE-