Furman 7, The Citadel 0
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Furman men’s tennis team blanked The Citadel, 7-0, Saturday at the Earle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C.
The Paladins swept the doubles matches to clinch the opening point. Junior Alex Christ and freshman Matt Browne teamed up to defeat David Orces and Oliver Dedding, 8-5, in the top spot, while the duo of sophomore Jacob Behal and senior Tyler Droll topped Alex Howle and Peter Bleach, 8-4, at flight two. In the third doubles contest, senior Andrew Mellow and sophomore Luke Synn recorded an 8-3 victory over JC Pauli and Dillon Berkabile.
In singles play, Mellow notched a 7-5, 6-2 win versus Orces at flight one, and Christ bested Berkabile, 6-2, 6-1, in the second singles match-up. At number three, Browne posted a 6-3, 7-6 advantage over Bleach, while Behal beat Dedding, 6-1, 6-1, at flight four. Synn defeated Elliott Sperr, 6-4, 7-6, at number five, and Droll posted a 6-1, 6-2 win over Jackson Pride at flight six to complete the sweep.
Chattanooga 5, Wofford 2
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford men’s tennis team was defeated by Chattanooga 5-2 Saturday afternoon at the Reeves Tennis Center. The Terriers fall to 3-10 on the year and 1-5 in the Southern Conference, while the Mocs improve to 8-7 overall and 3-3 in conference play.
In doubles action, Chattanooga jumped in front early with an 8-1 win by John Peacey and Chris Smith over Wofford’s Tom Wood and David Sklar at the No. 2 position. The Mocs clinched the doubles point after Manuel Barroetavena and Jackson Tresnan topped Walker Heffron and Graham Duncan (8-6) in the No. 3 spot. The Terriers won the No. 1 match-up with Rob Galloway and Jackson Keith fighting past Ankit Chopra and Roberto Vieira (8-6).
On the singles side, after two quick straight set wins Chattanooga pushed their lead to 3-0. First, Tresnan defeated Duncan (6-0, 6-1) at No. 4. Then, Peacey beat Thompson (6-1, 6-0) in the No. 6 spot. Wofford fought their way back into the match with two straight set wins of their own. At No. 1, Galloway overpowered Vieira (6-3, 6-4), and Wood outlasted Saunders (7-5, 6-4) at the No. 5 to bring the Terriers within one.
However, the comeback fell short as the Mocs claimed the final two matches to secure the 5-2 win. First, Chopra bested Keith in three sets (2-6, 6-2, 6-3) in the No. 3 spot. Then, Barroetavena survived against Superstein (6-3, 3-6, 6-2) at the No. 2 position.
Samford 4, Appalachian State 3
BOONE, N.C. – The 74th-ranked Samford University men’s tennis team completed its weekend sweep of Southern Conference opponents Saturday as the Bulldogs registered a crucial 4-3 road victory over the Appalachian State Mountaineers in a league contest held at Grandfather Mountain Country Club.
Samford (9-7, 4-1 SoCon) improved its road record on the season to 3-5 and registered back-to-back conference wins. On Friday, the Bulldogs posted a lopsided 7-0 victory at Davidson.
In Saturday’s key 4-3 triumph at Appalachian State (4-11, 2-4 SoCon), the Bulldogs lost the doubles point, but received all-important singles victories from Zac Dunkle, Elliot Barnwell, Alex Sajonz and Garrison Laduca.
Laduca, Samford’s junior from Woodstock, Ga., clinched the Bulldogs’ victory at 4-2 with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph in the No. 6 singles contest. With his second straight win, Laduca improved his singles record to 8-7 this season.
Samford’s Dunkle extended his winning streak to three-consecutive matches in singles play as the Bulldogs’ senior native of Atlanta posted a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Appalachian State’s Sebastien King on court No. 1. Dunkle moved to 8-6 on the season with his victory.
Barnwell and Sajonz both tallied straight-set wins over their Mountaineer counterparts Saturday. Barnwell improved to 9-7 on the season, while Sajonz moved to 8-8 this year.
UNCG 5, Binghamton 2
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men’s tennis team remains undefeated at home after winning 5-2 against Binghamton Saturday, March 30. The Spartans hold an 11-2 record for the season and are 4-2 in the SoCon.
The Blue and Gold picked up the doubles point after winning two out of three matches against the Bearcats.
Freshman Daniel Mack and junior Ahmet Sarioglu lead the team at No. 2 with an 8-2 win over Sid Hazarika and Eliott Hureau.
At No. 3, sophomore Cameron Smith and freshman Gaston Murray beat Robin Lesage and Ruben Haggai, 8-4.
Freshman James Dougherty and sophomore Randy Phillips dropped a close 8-6 match against Bastian Bornkessel and Ismael Dinia at No. 1.
Dougherty picked up the first singles victory for UNCG at No. 2 when he outplayed Alexander Maisin in a second-set tiebreaker, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).
Murray won in an easy two sets against Lesage at No. 3, 6-4, 6-2, before Phillips clinched the match when he won 7-6 (10-8), 7-5 against Dinia at No. 4.
Sarioglu lost in a tough three sets to Hazarika at No. 1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, while Mack fought at No. 5 in a tight three-set match, but fell 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to Haggai.
At No. 6, Smith tied up today’s match with a hard fought victory against Florian van Kann, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9-7).
The Spartans will return to action Thursday, April 4 when they continue SoCon play hosting Elon at the UNCG tennis courts at 2 p.m.
Elon 4, Florida Atlantics 2
Georgia State 4, Elon 2
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Elon University men’s tennis team split a pair of matches on the first day of the Middle Tennessee State University Shootout on Saturday, March 30. The 72nd-ranked Phoenix topped Florida Atlantic, 4-2, in its first match. In the semifinals against Georgia State, Elon dropped a 4-2 decision.
The Phoenix now sits at 12-5 on the year. Elon faces South Alabama tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. on the final day of the tournament.
#72 Elon 4, Florida Atlantic 2
Stefan Fortmann pushed the maroon and gold out to a 1-0 advantage at No. 2 singles with a 6-1, 6-4, decision against FAU’s Will Neuner.
Jordan Kaufman gave Elon a 2-0 lead at No. 4 singles with a straight sets win, 6-4, 6-3 against Florida Atlantic’s Robert Dubuque.
Following a win by FAU at No. 6 singles and a retirement by Elon’s Robert Lindgren at No. 3 that evened the match at 2-all, Cameron Silverman won in three sets to give Elon a 3-2 lead. Silverman, ranked 45th nationally, topped FAU’s Jose Fantova, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
Brian Kowalski clinched the match win for Elon at No. 5 singles, claiming a three-set decision versus Florida Atlantic’s Richard Meade. Kowalski dropped the first set, 6-2, but battled back to win the next two, 6-1, 6-3.
Georgia State 4, #72 Elon 2
The Phoenix took an early 1-0 lead after 45th-ranked Cameron Silverman claimed a 6-3, 6-4, decision at No. 1 singles against Victor Valente. Silverman improves his season record to 12-5.
But Georgia State came back, winning the next two matches at No. 3 and 4 to go ahead, 2-1.
Elon tied the match at 2-all at No. 5 singles, as Juan Madrid registered a victory in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, against Georgia State’s Paul Schuette. Madrid improves to 8-5 with the victory.
Following a win by GSU at No. 6, the Phoenix dropped a heartbreaker at No. 2. Elon standout Stefan Fortmann, who came into the match victorious in nine of his last ten competitions, fell in three sets, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, to Thomas Cook.