Courtesy: Aaron Craig Charlie Rice clinched the Eagles' win over Florida Tech

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle men’s tennis team’s 2010 campaign began with a decisive 8-1 victory over Florida Tech, Saturday at the Crotty Tennis Complex on Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach campus. The match was also the first of the season for Florida Tech who is ranked 36th in the ITA/NCAA II preseason poll.

The Eagles jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead as Charlie Rice and Luke Maricic teamed up for an easy 8-1 doubles win over Yan Rodriguez and Mike Schmidt, and Istvan Bolgar and Peter Francis collected an 8-2 doubles win against James McLane and Drew Hollis. The lone hiccup in the match for the Eagles came at No. 1 doubles as Loe Losmozos and Jon Hanna held off Jan Hoekzema and Alexis Huegas 9-7 to make the score 2-1 heading into singles.

Huegas had little trouble getting past McLane at No. 2 singles as he was the first player off the court following a 6-2, 6-1 win. Francis downed Hanna 6-3, 6-4 at No. 3 and Rice scored the clincher with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Hollis at the No. 4 spot.

Hoekzema and Lozmozos had another tough battle at No. 1 singles, but in the end it was Hoekzema who pulled out the win 7-6 (4), 6-2. Zander Woodford-Smith bested a Joel Zahlan 6-0, 6-3 and Maricic easily dispatched Abaraa 6-0, 6-1 to seal the win.

The Eagles return to the court at 3 p.m. on Wednesday when the go on the road to take on St. Leo.