HILTON HEAD, S.C. — Sophomore Amit Baran's three-set victory clinched the winning point for the North Carolina Central University men's tennis team in a narrow 4-3 non-conference dual match victory over Saint Louis University in Tuesday's competition of the Hilton Head Spring TennisFest.
 
The Eagles held off the Billikens at the Chaplin Park Tennis Center for their fourth consecutive win.
 
NCCU improved its record to 4-7 on the season while Saint Louis dipped to that same 4-7 mark.
 
A pair of wins in the top two doubles matches put the maroon and gray ahead from the start.
 
The sophomore duo of Thanos Spyropoulos and Christos Dagklis squeaked out a 7-5 triumph while Baran and junior Miles Clark provided a 6-4 conquest. Both tandems have won four straight times.
 
Baran and Clark are pacing the Eagles with a winning 6-5 doubles record together.
 
Senior No. 6 Sebastian Bromley doubled up NCCU's advantage, 2-0, by coasting to a 6-1, 6-1 win.
 
After the Billikens got on the board, Spyropoulos pulled the Eagles within one point of the team victory by winning on the first court. Spyropoulos (6-5) moved over .500 on the season with his fourth straight win, toppling senior Justin Nogalski by a score of 6-3, 6-1.
 
Baran finished off the team victory in the second slot in NCCU's lineup. Baran rallied after losing his first set, coming back on sophomore Pavel Badaiants for the 4-6, 7-6 (3), 10-4 success.
 
Bromley and Baran are matching Spyropoulos with four-match win streaks.
 
Saint Louis squeaked out a trio of close three-set affairs for its three points. All three wins were in shortened super sets played as the third sets. Junior No. 3 Ignacio Tintore nipped Dagklis (7-6 [5], 3-6, 12-10), freshman No. 4 Alex Heiden rallied by Clark (2-6, 6-3, 10-4) and freshman No. 5 Felipe Cruz slipped past senior Pablo Juez Torres (6-1, 2-6, 10-4).
 
NC Central will conclude play in the Hilton Head Spring TennisFest with a morning match against George Mason University on Thursday. The Eagles and Patriots will begin play at the Hilton Head High School Tennis Courts at 8:30 a.m.