HARTSVILLE, S.C. – For the second consecutive match Kevin Mendes (Chattanooga, Tenn.) secured the win for Carson-Newman's men's tennis team, this time the win came over the Coker Cobras 6-3.
"Got off to a good start winning two of the three doubles matches." Carson-Newman tennis coach Jean Love said, "Then JP (Joao Pedro Oliveira) and Stefano (Daza) kept on by winning their singles matches. Kevin (Mendes) then won to secure the team victory."
Carson-Newman (3-4, 2-1) grabbed an early lead after doubles play. The No.2 doubles tandem of Joao Pedro Oliveira (Brazil) and Gabriel Dabdab (Brazil) on a three-match win streak after defeating Henrik Hellbe and Dominic Allan 8-6.
The No.3 doubles tandem of Marc Bantel (Germany) and Jesus Bacete-Sanz (Spain) are also on a three-match win streak after an 8-2 victory over Hunter Horton and Walker Long. Stefano Daza (Venezuela) and Rodolfo Schwarz (Brazil) have lost five-straight at No.1 doubles. Coker's (3-6, 1-3) No.1 doubles team picked up an 8-6 win over Daza and Schwarz.
Oliveira won easily at No.1 singles over Mark Watt 6-0, 6-0 to improve to 5-4 on the season. Daza moved up to No.2 singles for the first time all season and broke a three-match losing streak in the process. Daza lost the first set 3-6 but came back to win the final two-sets 6-3, 6-3 and is now 3-2 on the season in three-set matches.
Bantel won the first set at No. 3 singles 6-4 but lost the final two-sets of the match 7-5, 6-4. Bantel is just 2-6 on the season after winning his first conference match last weekend against Lenoir-Rhyne. Bacete-Sanz made his return to the singles lineup at the No.4 position and lost in straight sets 6-3, 6-0.
Dabdab improves to 6-3 on the season at No.5 singles after a 6-4, 6-3 win against Simon Bergbom. Mendes won the finals single match of the day 6-1, 6-2 to improve to 4-1 on the season.
"This was a good win for us," Love said. "It gives us some momentum going into next week as we have three conference matches coming up."
The Eagles take on Lincoln Memorial Monday afternoon at 1 p.m.
-CN-
