The Jackets started the day off strong by winning each of the three doubles matches by at least six games.
Senior Guillermo Gomez, who is the No. 23 ranked singles player, was paired with fellow senior Dean O’Brien for the team’s first doubles match of the day. Although the team has struggled at times in the past, Gomez and O’Brien handedly beat the USC Upstate team of Giancula Paino and Andres Sanchez by a score of 8-0.
Next up for the Jackets was the No. 8 ranked team of sophomore Juan Spir and junior Kevin King. The team did show some signs of rust in their first match of the season, but in the end, the duo managed to defeat Ramiro Blanco and Matias Di Pasquale 8-2.
The last doubles team comprised of seniors Ryan Smith and Eliot Potvin added another 8-2 victory to lock up the first point of the match.
Gomez started the singles portion of the day for the Jackets when he took on Ramiro Blanco from USC Upstate.
Gomez swept the first match 6-0, but showed some signs of fatigue in second set, winning 6-2. Still, Gomez’s victory gave the Jackets their second point of the day.
Potvin was next up for the Jackets and he, unlike Gomez, won the second set by a wide margin, after he had some struggles in the first set. He eventually won 6-2, 6-0. Potvin’s win meant that the Jackets were only one point away from winning the match.
No. 48 ranked Spir took the match-clinching fourth point from USC Upstate’s Pasquale in the player’s second meeting of the day.
The first set was hard fought with each player unable to break the other’s serve. Finally, Spir edged out a 6-4 win in the first set, and used his momentum to propel himself to an easier second set, 6-1.
King, sophomore Magin Ortiga and No. 93 ranked junior Dusan Miljevic won their respective matches to add to Tech’s point total, and seal up the sweep.
The Jackets used their quick start in doubles and their ability to not get broken thanks to their great serves to seal the match.
“We started off well in doubles and in all three doubles matches the first serve percentages were high… We were out there working together as teams and that is going to pay off as the season goes along,” said Head Coach Kenny Thorne after the matches.
The Jackets will look to continue their stellar team play in their next match on Jan. 23 when they travel to Colombia, S.C. to take on the No. 56 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks.