Furman 5, Chattanooga 2
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Men’s tennis player Badr Bouabdellah won his 18th consecutive singles match Thursday, but his was the only singles victory for the Mocs as Furman notched a 5-2 Southern Conference win over UTC.
Bouabdellah defeated former Baylor School player Greg Maarschalk, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3 singles. The win improved the sophomore’s win total to 21, and he finished league competition undefeated at 9-0.
UTC took an early 1-0 lead after capturing the doubles point. Josh Bales and Mark Fynn posted the first score of the day, defeating Maarschalk and Ben Pauluhn, 8-3 at No. 1 doubles.
Furman’s No. 2 doubles tandem of Brian Crook and Bo Ladyman came from behind to win in a tiebreaker over UTC’s Ryan Fitzgerald and Michael Hangstefer. But Bouabdellah and Artyom Vlasenko won the third doubles match in a tiebreaker as well to provide the Mocs with their 1-0 lead.
Furman won all but No. 3 singles to earn five team points and the win.
Pauluhn edged Fitzgerald at No. 1, 6-4, 6-3, Andy Juc defeated Vlasenko at No. 2, 6-1, 6-3, and Ladyman got past Fynn at No. 4, 6-4, 6-4.
Daniel Knause defeated Razvan Axente, 7-5, 6-2 at No. 5, and Chris Gilli beat Bales, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 6.
Bales is the lone senior on the Mocs squad and was honored prior to the match, which served as the regular-season finale. Both teams will compete in the SoCon Championships beginning next Thursday in Charleston, S.C.
Furman 5, Chattanooga men 2
April 13, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Doubles (for one point)
1. Bales/Fynn (UTC) d. Maarschalk/Pauluhn (Furman), 8-3
2. Brian Crook/Ladyman (Furman) d. Fitzgerald/Hangstefer (UTC), 9-8(1)
3. Bouabdellah/Vlasenko (UTC) d. Juc/Scott Kahler (Furman), 9-8(3)
Singles
1. Ben Pauluhn (Furman) d. Ryan Fitzgerald (UTC), 6-4, 6-3
2. Andy Juc (Furman) d. Artyom Vlasenko (UTC), 6-1, 6-3
3. Badr Bouabdellah (UTC) d. Greg Maarschalk (Furman), 6-3, 6-2
4. Bo Ladyman (Furman) d. Mark Fynn (UTC), 6-4, 6-4
5. Daniel Knause (Furman) d. Razvan Axente (UTC), 7-5, 6-2
6. Chris Gilli (Furman) d. Josh Bales (UTC), 6-2, 6-2
Team records: UTC (15-8, 5-4 SoCon); Furman (17-10, 8-1 SoCon)