Appalachian State 6, UNCG 1
BOONE, N.C. - After having nearly two weeks off, Appalachian State University men's tennis showed no indications of rust as it burst through Southern Conference leader UNC Greensboro 6-1 on Friday afternoon. With the impressive win, ASU improves to 8-4 and 2-1 in SoCon play while UNCG acquires its first SoCon loss to fall to 4-1 in the league and 11-4 overall.
The Mountaineers led off the day by claiming the doubles point after they won 2-of-3 matches. The Apps have now won the doubles point nine times this season while only relinquishing the mark three times (No. 69 South Carolina, No. 49 East Tennessee State and Mercer).
Alain Humblet and Philip Kloc battled with Orcun Seyrek and Timion Meijs to pull out a 9-7 win at No. 1 doubles. This win marks the ASU duo's ninth straight victory and improves their season record to 11-1.
At the No. 2 twosome, Alex Markov and Sebastien King were unable to climb ahead of Yaroslav Litus and Jacob Wright, as they fell 9-7. Andrew McKinnon and Ezekiel Sansing had a fairly smooth ride at the number three pairing by winning 8-5 over Ahmet Sarioglu and Channon Varapongsittikul to ensure the doubles point.
With large wind gusts and a declining temperature, the Black and Gold ignored the elements and never took its foot off the gas as it entered singles play. The Mountaineers came out on top in 4-of-6 matches.
Kloc sealed the win for Appalachian with a three set triumph over Litus at the number three slot. The pair kept the match close during the first two sets with Kloc winning the first 7-5 and Litus taking the second 6-7 (7-3). The New Zealander would rise to the occasion in the third by cruising to a 6-1 win.
McKinnon and Humblet were responsible for claiming ASU's two earlier singles' points. McKinnon made quick work of Varapongsittikul at the No. 5 position with a 6-2, 6-2 thumping. Humblet had arguably the most dramatic and enticing match of the day, as he clashed with Meijs at the number two spot. The Canadian would win the match in two sets 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (8-6), with each set going to a tiebreaker.
Fellow Canadian native King increased ASU's point total to five with a comeback win over Sarioglu at the No. 4 slot. King fell down 3-6 in the first set but rebounded in the second to win 6-3. In the third, the pair pushed it to a tiebreaker, and the Apps freshman pulled out the 7-5 victory.
At the one singles, Markov grabbed the first set 7-5 against Seyrek, but he would drop the second 3-6. The Bulgarian came out blazing in the third to win 6-4. Markov's win puts him at 2-1 in SoCon action with his two wins coming against the SoCon's last two Players of the Year: Seyrek (2009) and Lukas Koncilia of College of Charleston (2010), whom he beat March 12.
The Spartan's lone point of the competition came at the No. 6 singles where Matt Saltsgaver had to retire from play after sustaining a leg injury, which snaps his six match win streak. Saltsgaver was tied at two sets a piece with Wright (6-0, 5-7), and the freshman was moving in on the victory before he withdrew in the third set.
Georgia Southern 6, The Citadel 1
CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Citadel Tennis team fell, 6-1, to Southern Conference foe Georgia Southern after a grueling four and a half hour match on Friday afternoon at the Earle Tennis Center. The Bulldogs fall to 1-16, 0-6 SoCon, while the Eagles improve to 9-6, 2-1 SoCon.
Georgia Southern opened the match taking a 1-0 lead but not without a fight from the Bulldogs. The Citadel held the advantage early after the duo of James Atkinson and Dillon Berkabile routed their opponents Edio Castanhel and Sebastien Felt at the No. 2 doubles position, 8-2. The Eagles evened the action as Derrick Davison and Alain Garrido rallied from behind for three straight points to edge Josh Cook and Jeremiah Dye, 8-6. The doubles point then came down to the winner at the top doubles slot. The tandem of Derek Dickey and David Orces never trailed by more than a point, but their persistent play was not enough as J. Melian Puigventos and Matthijs Verdam maintained their lead throughout and eventually won, 8-6, sealing the doubles win for the Eagles.
Freshman James Atkinson was the lone Bulldog to tally a point in the loss after he dominated his opponent at the No. 3 position in two straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.
Atkinson's victory tied the match at one but the Eagles snuck away with wins at the final five singles positions. Dickey lost, 6-4, 6-4,to GSU's Garrido at the No. 3 position, while Sperr fell to Georgia Southern's Mark Paetz, 6-2, 6-2. In a close battle at the No. 2 position, Berkabile suffered a tough, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, loss to Verdam, who sealed the match victory for the Eagles.
At the No. 5 spot, Cook battled to three sets against Georgia Southern's Castanhel. Cook won the first set, 6-2, but Castanhel responded with wins in the final two sets, 7-5, 6-4. At the No. 1 position, Orces forced the match to three sets after falling in the first set, 6-3. However, after winning the second set, 6-4, Orces dropped the third set to GSU's Puigventos by the same score.
Stetson 7, Chattanooga 1
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's tennis team dropped a 7-0 match to visiting Stetson this afternoon. The Mocs were swept for the first time in 11 matches, dropping to 7-9 on the year. The Hatters upped their record 14-7 overall.
Stetson jumped out to a 1-0 lead by taking all three doubles matches. The Mocs have not won a match this year when they did not take the opening doubles point.
Sophomores William Disterdick and Stephen Crofford tried to get the Mocs on the board. Both took their first set in their matches at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively. Disterdick went three sets with Hans Adrian Riseng before losing (1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4)). Crofford also fell in three sets to Christopher Swanteso (4-6, 7-6 (1), 1-0 (10-8).
The Mocs are back in action on Sunday, March 27, when they host Appalachian State. First serve against the Mountaineers is set for 1:00 p.m. (E.D.T.) on the UTC Tennis Courts. Live scoring will be available on GoMocs.com.