WILMINGTON, N.C. — Luke Bracks battled to win a second-set tiebreaker, securing a 4-3 victory for Wichita State over UNC Wilmington on Thursday at the UNCW Courts.
 
The Shockers (11-7) extended their win streak to seven matches with the victory over UNC Wilmington (5-8). The streak is Wichita State's longest since 2018.
 
In doubles, Wichita State seized control by jumping out to early leads at No. 1 and No. 3. Pablo Roche Alcaya and Zaid Al Mashni struck first with a 6-1 win at No. 1, their third straight victory as a pair. Felix Bockelmann-Evans and Alejandro Jacome secured the doubles point for the Shockers with a 6-2 win at No. 3, marking the team's seventh consecutive doubles point.
 
In singles, the teams split the first sets evenly, three apiece.
 
UNC Wilmington evened the match with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Jacome at No. 3, then took the lead with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Al Mashni at No. 2.
 
Alcaya responded for Wichita State with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 4, but the Seahawks regained a 3-2 lead with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Worthington at No. 1.
 
At No. 5 and No. 6, Wichita State needed wins from Cruz and Bracks to clinch the match.
 
At No. 5, Cruz won the first set before dropping the second, 6-2. In the decisive third set, he dominated with a 6-0 win to take the match 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 and tie the score at 3-3.
 
With only Bracks remaining, the senior was in strong position after winning the first set and building a 5-2 lead in the second. His opponent rallied to force a second-set tiebreak at 6-6, but Bracks turned a 4-2 advantage into a 7-3 tiebreak win to clinch the match for Wichita State.
 
Up next
The Shockers conclude their East Coast trip with a matchup against No. 56 Charlotte on Saturday at Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex.