By Marlene Estenssoro Pineda

GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T saw its historic six-match winning streak come to an end Sunday evening at the Piedmont Tennis Indoor Center as Presbyterian defeated the Aggies 5-2 in Big South Conference men's tennis play. 

The Blue Hose came into the match as the defending Big South champions from the 2021 season. 

Junior Esteban Lopez kept his hot streak going. Lopez won his seventh straight singles match when he defeated Max Benson 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 at No. 1 singles. Lopez improved to 9-2 on the season by defeating the reigning Big South player of the year in Benson. 

Freshman Jorge Perez also kept his winning streak going at singles. Perez won at No. 5 singles, 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7) in the tiebreaker over Nicholas McKinney. It was his seventh straight win as he improved to 7-4 on the year. 

But the Aggies could not maintain the momentum on Sunday. They lost the doubles point as the Blue Hose won two doubles contests, with the No. 2 doubles match going unfinished because the Blue Hose had already clinched the point. 

At No. 1 doubles, Lopez and senior Vasil Ivanov lost to Benson and Dusan Milanovic 6-2. Freshman duo Ethan Baly and Ian Pedersen lost to Javier Matos and Sebastian Dominguez 6-2. 

In other singles play, Dominguez defeated Ivanov 6-2, 3-6, 7-5. 6-3, 7-5 at No. 2. Blanco played a thrilling, competitive match at No. 3 singles. When it was over, Blanco could not get past Milanovic. Milanovic won 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6). 

Baly lost at No. 4 singles to Javier Matos, 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7) in another competitive contest. Teo Cariov defeated Pedersen, 6-3, 6-3. 

The Aggies travel to play against The Citadel Monday at 4 p.m., in Fayetteville, N.C.