NASHVILLE – Jacksonville State men's tennis came just short in Sunday's season-opening matches against Tennessee State. The Gamecocks fell 4-3 to the Tigers at Vanderbilt's Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Facility. 
 
"This was a tough loss to start the season," Jax State head coach Mike Mucci said. "We have some young guys that weren't fully ready to play, especially indoors. Full credit to TSU, though. They wanted it more and created an intense, loud team environment and we came up just a few points short.
 
"It's important that we use this as a learning opportunity to keep improving and getting better every day," Mucci said.
 
JSU (0-1) fell behind after doubles play and suffered the narrow loss after claiming just three singles matches. The tandem of Agustin Cuellar and Xavier Sarda Marti picked up a victory in the second flight, but that was the only doubles win that the Gamecocks would tally.
 
Cuellar lost in three sets to open singles action and Jax State fell behind 3-0 before Alin Fatu scored a 6-0, 6-1, triumph in the third singles flight. After the Tigers secured a match victory in the fourth flight, JSU responded with two-set wins by Alejandro Beneyto Sanchez (6-3, 6-2) and Vanja Dobrnjac (6-1, 6-4) to close out the event in Nashville. 
 
"We have a young group and today we learned a lot," JSU associate head coach Trey Morris said after the matches. "We are of course disappointed with the result. However, it is a long season and we will make some corrections and get the guys rolling."
 
Jacksonville State's men return to action next Wed., Jan. 25, in their home-opener versus Lee (Tenn.). Those matches, which will be part of a doubleheader with the women's squad, will begin at 1 p.m. at the JSU Tennis Courts. 
 
To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, follow their Twitter (@JaxStateTN), Instagram (@JaxStateMTennis), and Facebook (Jacksonville State University Tennis) accounts. 
 
Tennis Match Results
JSU vs TSU
1/15/2023 at Nashville, Tenn. (Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Facility)
Tennessee State 4, JSU 3

Singles Competition

1. Daniel Perez-Caraballo (TSU) def. Agustin Cuellar (JSU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
2. Nil Moinet (TSU) def. Xavier Sarda Marti (JSU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Alin Fatu (JSU) def. Diego Britt-Alvarez (TSU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Taj Hibbert (TSU) def. Vicente Arbelaez (JSU) 7-5, 6-1
5. Alejandro Beneyto Sanchez (JSU) def. Nicholas Adamec (TSU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Vanja Dobrnjac (JSU) def. Pierre Copin (TSU) 6-1, 6-4

 
Doubles Competition

1. Daniel Perez Caraballo/Diego Britt-Alvarez (TSU) def. Vanja Dobrnjac/Lucius Soller (JSU) 6-2
2. Agustin Cuellar/Xavier Sarda Marti (JSU) def. Taj Hibbert/Nicholas Adamec (TSU) 6-2
3. Nil Moinet/Pierre Copin (TSU) def. Alejandro Beneyto Sanchez/Alin Fatu (JSU) 7-5