ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2024) - Florida National University's men's tennis (0-4) team performed well against Eckerd College (1-0) falling short of a win 4-3. FNU earned one win in doubles play and three definitive victories in singles play before dropping the match to a talented NCAA DII Eckerd squad. 

EC's Batu Ataseven and Christian Kearns earned a 6-3 win over FNU's David Santamaria and Ignacio Acosta, while Lennart Ostheimer and Luigi Stefanacci fell short of a win 6-0. Guido Gentile and Alejandro Suarez's 6-4 win over Phil Grueninger and Eric Asakura avoided an EC sweep to start the match.

FNU shined in singles play with Gentile and Stefanacci convincingly winning their matches 6-2, 6-3, and 6-3, 6-2, respectively. Suarez battled well for a 4-6, 6-4, 10-5 victory over EC's Asakura. Despite these victories, losses from FNU's Acosta, Ostheimer and Santamaria helped EC claim its first win of the 2024 season. 

Doubles Competition:

Number one: 

David Santamaria / Ignacio Acosta lost to Batu Ataseven / Christian Kearns (3-6)

Number two:

Lennart Ostheimer / Luigi Stefanacci lost to Mario Kirkov / Marshall Hulett (0-6)

Number three: 

Guido Gentile / Alejandro Suarez defeated Phil Grueninger / Eric Asakura (6-4)

Singles Competition: 

Ignacio Acosta falls to Batu Ataseven (0-6, 0-6)

Guido Gentile defeated Christian Kearns (6-2, 6-3)

Lennart Ostheimer falls to Mario Kirkov (2-6, 3-6)

Alejandro Suarez defeated Eric Asakura (4-6, 6-4, 10-5)

Luigi Stefanacci defeated Marshall Hulett (6-3, 6-2)

David Santamaria falls to Phil Grueninger (7-6, 6-4)

Up Next: The Conquistadors goes to Boca Raton, Fla., for a 2 p.m. match versus Lynn University.