#10 Mocs Unable to Outlast #14 Eagles in Top 15 Matchup

LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 10 Florida Southern College men's tennis team was unable to emerge victorious in a tough 4-3 loss to No. 14 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Saturday afternoon at the Wynee Warden Tennis Center.
 
The Mocs (14-4, 1-2 SSC) lost the doubles point, although rallied to with three singles court wins. The Eagles (12-4, 3-2 SSC) outlasted FSC on the final court in a lengthy three-set tiebreak battle to which ERAU won for a 4-3 team win.
 
Florida Southern had a quick win at the No. 1 court as Mario Garoz and Chris Fok Kow had a 6-3 victory over the No. 27 ERAU pairing. Matteo Feggi and George Russell battled at the No. 3 court to a 7-6 (7-4) loss and the doubles point decision went to the No. 2 court as Bosko Boskovic and Inaki Braun Simo had a narrow 7-6 (13-11) loss in an extended flight.
 
Undeterred by a doubles point loss, the Mocs rallied with three singles court wins to even the score late. The first FSC court win was a strong 6-3, 6-2 win at #5 by Boskovic, followed by another ranked win for No. 17 Fok Kow over No. 36 Nuyts with a 6-3, 6-2 score. Braun Simo had a tough 6-4, 6-3 loss at the #4 court, but Garoz shut out his opponent in two of the three sets for a 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 win and 3-2 FSC advantage.
 
With another singles point to ERAU after a 6-4, 6-2 loss by No. 35 Russell against No. 32 Rasulov, the match came down to the #6 court and Edoardo Melindo. The freshman had a big 6-4 win in set one, and Alvaro Diaz Rodrigo responded with a 6-3 set two win. Up 4-1 in set three, Melindo had a split the next few points to send the flight to a tiebreak decision. With both athletes grinding in the 2 ½ hour court, Diaz Rodrigo outlasted Melindo with a 7-6, (7-4) win to take the conference match victory.
 
 The matchup was the first home match since 2021 with both teams in the top 15 of ITA rankings, and the loss to ERAU is only the fourth loss all season (each to top 15 teams). The second loss which came down to a 7-6 third set, FSC has battled in most of its matches, while still maintaining a strong regional record.
 
The Mocs will take on Lynn University for Senior Day on Saturday, April 6, set for a 2 p.m. start at Wynee Warden Tennis Center.
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