Owensboro, Ky. – UPIKE men's tennis opened the 2022-23 campaign Tuesday afternoon in double-header action against Brescia and (RV) Oakland City. The Bears swept the Bearcats 7-0 but fell 4-3 to the Mighty Oaks.

Brescia

The Bears took the doubles point in the opening match, as No. 1 doubles duo Juan Diego Alzate and Mirko Dedich won 6-2 to open the match. Valentin Ortiz and Paul Castillo dropped the number two doubles 6-3 before Martin Lorenzo and Alfonso Robinson swept the No. 3 to give the Bears the point.

All six singles were won in two games for the Bears, securing six points and the win. Ortiz championed the number one singles 6-2, 6-1 before newcomer Castillo went 6-1 and 6-4. Mirko Dedich found himself in a battle after winning the first set 6-2, going 12 games in the number three to win 7-5.

Alzate won 6-4, 6-2 in the number four before Lorenzo swept the number five with a pair of 6-0 scores. Robinson secured the sweep with a 6-2, 6-1 win.

Oakland City

The Mighty Oaks were an early test for the Bears, receiving votes in last season's NAIA Coaches' Top-25 Postseason poll. The Bears claimed the doubles point, behind wins in the two and three, but fell 4-2 in singles play.

UPIKE's number two doubles duo of Ortiz and Castillo evened their record at 1-1 on the day with a 6-3 victory in the number two. Lorenzo and Robinson remained undefeated with a 6-1 win in the number three.
Paulo Castillo found himself in a tiebreak in the first set, winning 7-6 (8) before going on to win 6-2 in the second set. Dedich fell in three sets, dropping set one 6-4 before winning the second 7-6. Oakland City's Andre Baltazar claimed the win with a 10-6 victory in a super-tiebreak third set.

Alzate battled in the number four, falling in set one 2-6 before claiming the next two sets 6-0 and 6-4. Lorenzo and Robinson both fell in two sets.