NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 26, 2025) – The University of North Alabama men's tennis team earned its first win of the season Sunday evening, coming from behind to defeat the Belmont Bruins, 4-3, in Nashville.

The Lions (1-1) hit the road for their second dual of season, taking on the Bruins in the first meeting since the 2005 season. Belmont (2-2) would get the first point, taking two of the three doubles flights, before North Alabama struck back with three-straight singles wins.

The Bruins responded with victories from the second and third flights, with the final point to be determined by both program's top-flight. In the end, junior Lachlan Brain clutched the deciding match out with both teams tied at 3-3 to take the road dual and secure UNA's first win of the season.

The victory also snapped a three-dual losing skid against the Bruins, with the Lions' last win against Belmont coming in the 1994 season. North Alabama also secures the 10th all-time win over the Bruins, moving the series to 10-4 in favor of UNA.

Belmont took the doubles point to open the dual, securing the first point before heading into singles play. On court two, the Bruins' Esunge Ndumbe and Charlie Robin defeated Samu Dominguez and Izan Orgiles, 6-1, to start the dual. Belmont's Diego Castro and Eli Mizerski took the third court to cap doubles play, defeating the Lions' Brain and Satoru Nakajima, 6-3.

The top-flight match between UNA's Birtan Duran and Nazar Fedoryshyn and the Bruins' Esteban Ortiz and Sabi Roi went unfinished tied 4-4.

Heading into singles, Nakajima and Dominguez avenged their doubles losses to earn their first singles win of their UNA careers. Nakajima outmatched his opponent, Belmont's Niklas von Hellens, in a 6-2, 6-1 victory from court five – the first dual points for North Alabama. Domiguez had a battle in the first set against the Bruins' Mizerski, taking a first-set tiebreaker, 7(7)-6(2). The second set was more comfortable for Domiguez, who took the 6-2 set win for his first season win.

Fedoryshyn continued North Alabama's winning ways with his first season win – a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Belmont's Castro. The Bruins would claim the second and third courts, setting up the deciding matchup from the top flight between UNA's Brain and Belmont's Ndumbe.

Brain struck first in the opening set, taking the 6-2-win heading into the second. The following set would be anything but simple for Brain, who played Ndumbe to a tiebreaker to determine who would claim the final point. In the end, Brain showed resiliency in the match, overcoming a deficit in the second set to beat Ndumbe by a 6-2, 7(7)-6(3) scoreline.


North Alabama 4, Belmont 3

Doubles

1. Birtan Duran/Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) vs. Esteban Ortiz/Sabi Roi (BEL), 4-4, unfinished
2. Esunge Ndumbe/Charlie Robin (BEL) def. Izan Orgiles/Samu Dominguez (UNA), 6-1
3. Diego Castro/Eli Mizerski (BEL) def. Lachlan Brain/Satoru Nakajima (UNA), 6-3

Singles

1. Lachlan Brain (UNA) def. Esunge Ndumbe (BEL), 6-2, 7(7)-6(3)
2. Sabi Roi (BEL) def. Izan Orgiles (UNA), 6-4, 6-2
3. Charlie Robin (BEL) def. Birtan Duran (UNA), 7(7)-6(4), 6-2
4. Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) def. Diego Castro (BEL), 6-4, 6-4
5. Satoru Nakajima (UNA) def. Niklas von Hellens (BEL), 6-2, 6-1
6. Samu Dominguez (UNA) def. Eli Mizerski (BEL), 7(7)-6(2), 6-2


Match Notes

North Alabama: 1-1
Belmont: 2-2


Order of Finish – Doubles: (2,3) Singles (5,6,4,2,3,1)


COMING UP NEXT 

The Lions travel for their third-straight away dual on Feb. 1, taking on instate rival Troy at 11 a.m.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.