GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Jacksonville State men's tennis team dropped its first match of the season Saturday, falling 5-2 at East Carolina.
 
Guillermo Agost and Jordi Blanchar made up the Gamecocks' (7-1) two points at the River Birch Tennis Complex.
 
"It was a very, very close match," head coach Andres Amores said. "We could've won the doubles point, and we went to a tie-breaker in three singles matches. Today was one of those days when you fight hard but things don't go your way.
 
"But I was happy with how the team played. If we can stay this competitive throughout the season then we will do some great things."
 
After the Pirates earned the doubles points and picked up the first singles point at No. 4, Agost scored a two-set win over Wisse Jonker at No. 3 singles to cut JSU's deficit to 2-1. The junior topped Jonker 6-4 in the first set and 6-2 in the second to claim his sixth win of the season.
 
Blanchar tied the match 2-2 with a nail-biting two-set win at No. 6 over Simon Labbe. The sophomore took the first set 7-6, but breezed through the second set 6-1.
 
Three of the Gamecocks' four singles losses went to three sets. Aljaz Kaplja and Joaquin Vallejo fell at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in three sets, while Mark Chigaariza fell iin three at No. 5.
 
Alexander Vishnevskiy and Vallejo managed a 6-4 set win in doubles, but losses at No. 1 and No. 2 gave the Pirates the early advantage.
 
The Gamecocks return to the court Thursday, March 7 to take on Mercer at the JSU Tennis Courts at 1 p.m.
 
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