NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State men's tennis team finished runner-up to Tennessee Tech on Sunday at the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Championships at Centennial Park, falling 4-2 to the Golden Eagles.
 
The narrow two-point loss for JSU in the championship final comes after falling 7-0 to TTU earlier during the regular season to finish off the year with a hard-fought battle for the tournament title.
 
The Gamecocks (13-7) got off on the right foot by winning the doubles point. Aljaz Kaplja and Sergio Lizarraga made quick work of Gonzalo Garcia and Carlos Vicente 6-1 at No. 1, and Guillermo Agost and Jordi Blanchar secured the point with a 6-2 win at No. 2.
 
Tennessee Tech tied the match 1-1 with a victory at No. 1, but Joaquin Vallejo reclaimed the lead for JSU with a two-set win at No. 2. The win was the 13 of the season for the sophomore, ending the year as the Gamecocks' victory leader.
 
After Vallejo's win at No. 2, the Golden Eagles rallied for wins at No. 3, 4 and 6 to put away the Gamecocks.
 
Jacksonville State ends the season with 13 wins, extending the Gamecocks' streak of at least 10 wins in a season to nine consecutive.
 
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