By Marlene Estenssoro

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – North Carolina A&T got two wins in singles play, but it was not enough as the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs won 5-2 over the Aggies in Big South Conference men's tennis play Saturday at the Webb Tennis Complex.

The Aggies are 10-8 overall and 2-5 in Big South play.

Senior Vasil Ivanov and freshman Eder Blanco continued their back-and-forth for the team's longest current singles winning streak.

Ivanov won his seventh straight by defeating Victor Putter at No. 2 singles, 6-3, 6-3. Ivanov improved to 13-5 overall and 6-1 in conference play. More impressive is that Ivanov has a career 13-1 record against conference competition.

Meanwhile, Blanco won his seventh straight. Coming off his Big South freshman of the week honor, Blanco defeated Chrisjan Van Wyk at No. 3 singles. Blanco is 12-5 overall and 5-2 in conference play.

Before Ivanov and Blanco's respective wins, the Bulldogs won two out of three doubles matches to win the doubles point.

Doubles No.2 Blanco and freshman Jorge lost 6-0 to Van WYK and Putter. Freshmen Ethan Baly and Ian Pedersen lost 7-5 at No. 3 doubles to Numa Lemieux-Monette.

The Aggies one win in doubles came at No. 1 as Ivanov and junior Esteban Lopez defeated Connor Enslin and Sebastian Harris, 7-5. The Ivanov/Lopez duo is 10-8 overall and 3-4 in the conference.

The other singles matches included Pedersen losing to Enslin 6-3, 6-1 at No. 6 singles. Baly followed with a 6-3, 6-3 to Harris at No4. Perez had a competitive match against Alex Lepine. Perez lost in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, at No. 5 singles.

Lopez also had a three-set loss as Eduardo Dias defeated him 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for Lopez, who drops to 13-4 overall and 4-3 in Big South play.

The Aggies will be back in action Sunday when they travel to Durham, N.C., to play Duke at 5 p.m.