HILTON HEAD, S.C. — Freshman Amit Baran secured his first collegiate singles and doubles wins in a dual match to help lead the North Carolina Central University men's tennis team to a 6-1 victory over La Salle University in Friday's neutral-site battle at the 2019 Hilton Head Spring Tennis Fest.
 
The Eagles (1-7) got in the win column for the first time by prevailing in five singles matches and two doubles matches over the Explorers.
 
Senior Gabriel Cucalon kept rolling atop NCCU's lineup with a 6-4, 6-3 victory. Cucalon improved to 4-3 on the season and his fourth straight triumph that clinched the match in favor of the Eagles.
 
Baran netted his 6-2, 6-4 win on the second court.
 
Two other Eagles won in straight sets with freshman No. 4 Thanos Spyropoulos locked up a 6-4, 6-2 win and senior No. 5 Sebastian Bromley coasted to a 6-2, 6-0 conquest. Spyropoulos has two wins and Bromley's win was his first of the year.
 
Junior No. 6 Pablo Juez Torres gutted out a 6-4, 4-6, 10-8 triumph over sophomore Colin Lucius to cap NCCU's strong play. Juez Torres also has two wins on the season.
 
The Explorers started doubles strong with a 6-1 win atop the lineup, but NCCU rallied to take the initial point. Baran and Juez Torres leveled doubles with a 6-2 win before Spyropoulos partnered with fellow freshman Christos Dagklis for a 6-4 victory.
 
La Salle slipped to 2-9. Sophomore No. 3 Rogelio Gonzalez prevented a perfect team score for the Eagles with a narrow 5-7, 6-3, 10-6 win for the Explorers.
 
NC Central next hosts Morgan State University on Monday at 3 p.m.