JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman men's tennis team opened South Atlantic Conference play Saturday afternoon at the Carson-Newman Tennis Complex against the Mars Hill Lions. The Eagles dropped the match in the last set of the day as the Lions won 5-4.
Carson-Newman (0-3, 0-1 SAC) took two of the three doubles points, but Mars Hill (5-3, 1-3 SAC) won four of the six singles matches to take the match.
"The guys were one point away from winning the match and we could not get it done. This is a tough way to lose a tennis match," coach Jean Love said after the match.
The doubles combo of Juan Sebastian Perez (Ecaudor) and Kevin Mendes (Woodstock, Ga.) knocked off the Lions' number two team 8-3. The duo of Joao Pedro Oliveira (Brazil) and Austin Mackay (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) also picked up a 8-3 win over the Mars Hill third doubles team.
Both doubles teams have won all three sets they have played in during the 2015 season.
In singles play, Perez and Taylor Barie (Woodstock, Ga.) were the only two Eagles to win their match. Perez won in three sets, 6-1, 1-6, 6-1, while Barie won in two sets, 6-4, 6-1.
Barie's win was his first individual win of his career, while Perez picked up his first individual win of the season.
Sophomore Stefano Daza (Venezuela) and Mendez both took their opponent to three sets before ultimately falling in the final stanza.
"The match came down to the No. 4 single's match. We lost in the third set. Kevin came back from a 5-1 deficit only to lose 7-5. He gave everything he had to comeback but just fell short."
Carson-Newman returns to SAC play next Saturday at the Carson-Newman Tennis Complex as the Anderson (S.C.) Trojans come to Mossy Creek.
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