BIRMINGHAM – Jacksonville State's men's tennis squad lost 4-3 Friday afternoon against in-state rival UAB in Birmingham.
 
The Gamecocks (15-9) made the short trip down I-20 for their final regular season match of the season against the Blazers (11-10). Jax State lost the doubles point and could not regroup in singles action despite a valiant effort.
 
The Gamecocks duo of Xavier Sarda Marti and Ivan Marrero Curbelo lost the first doubles match 6-2 against UAB's Juan Pablo Valdez and Carlos Gimenez Perez. Jax State's pairing of Lucius Soller and Vanja Dobrnjac then fell 6-3 to grant the Blazers the doubles point.
 
Jax State's fortunes turned a bit in the first singles match as Zach Murphy dominated Valdez in a straight-set win including a 6-1 first set and 6-2 second set. The momentum was lost however as Marko Milosavljevic lost the second singles match of the day to Valek Ondrej in a straight-set. Liam Day then lost a straight-set as well to put the Blazers ahead 3-1 midway through the match.
 
Matei Palcau won the Gamecocks' second point of the day with a three-set triumph over Vojtech Podzemny. Palcau lost the first set 3-6 before winning set two 6-2 and taking set three 6-4. Curbelo tied the match with a victory over Carlos Gimenez Perez. Curbelo took the match thanks to an opponent retirement in the third set.
 
With the match tied at 3-3, it came down to Alin Fatu's match for the Gamecocks to clinch to win. Fatu dropped the first set 2-6, but he won the second set that went to tiebreakers with Fatu coming out on top 7-5. The third set went to tiebreakers as well, however, Fatu lost 5-7 this go-around as UAB claimed the win.
 
The Gamecocks finished the regular season 15-9 and will now prepare for the CUSA tournament that begins on April 20 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
 
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