The No. 8 Texas Tech men’s tennis team won a tough 5-2 decision over Tulsa Friday at the McLeod Tennis Center.
 
 
With the victory, the Red Raiders (23-3) improved to 6-2 against nationally ranked opponents. No. 18 Tulsa (14-10) had its five-match winning streak snapped with the loss.
 
“I’m really happy we won,” Texas Tech head coach Brett Masi said. “We tried some new doubles pairings today and they paid off for us. In singles we won three first-set tiebreakers, which was huge. I think overall we’re in a good place heading into our last four Big 12 matches.”
 
Tech started the day with solid doubles play from the second position. Connor Curry and Felipe Soares paired up for the first time this season and delivered a 6-1 win over Dominic Bechard and Dylan McCloskey. Tulsa responded with a victory on court one where No. 77 Matthew Kirby and Okkie Kellerman defeated Tech’s Alex Sendegeya and Bjorn Thomson 6-3. The Red Raiders clinched the doubles point behind Carlos DiLaura and Hugo Dojas. The duo, making only their second appearance together this season, defeated Carlos Bautista and Majed Kilani 7-5 at the third spot.
 
Tech quickly increased its lead to 2-0, courtesy of a 6-2, 6-1 win for Thomson over Daniel Santos at the sixth position. The Red Raiders added another point to their tally from the third spot. No. 117 Sendegeya won his match over Bautista 7-6 (4), 6-3.
 
Tulsa got on the scoreboard with a 7-5, 7-5 victory for Kilani over Jolan Cailleau at the fourth position. However, the Red Raiders claimed their fourth point and clinched the match victory behind another clutch performance for Curry at the fifth spot. Curry would clinch with a 6-2, 7-6 (9) thanks to a marathon second-set tiebreak triumph.
 
The Golden Hurricanes added another point and made the score 4-2 with a 6-7 (6), 6-3, 2-1 (7) win for Juan Matias-Gonzalez over No. 98 Dojas. No. 20 Soares gave Tech their fifth point of the match with a 7-6 (6), 3-6, 1-0 (7) win at number one.
 
The Red Raiders have a week off before heading to Oklahoma to face Oklahoma State on Friday at 6 p.m. CT followed by a showdown in Norman against the Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
 
(Press Release Provided by Texas Tech Athletics Department)