Eagles open SAC play with contested loss to Bulldogs
Despite drawing tiebreakers across multiple singles matches, Carson-Newman men's tennis fell to open South Atlantic Conference play by a 6-1 final.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- Despite drawing tiebreakers across multiple singles matches, Carson-Newman men's tennis fell to open South Atlantic Conference play by a 6-1 final.
In two singles matches the Eagles (5-2, 0-1 SAC) rattled off 20-point tiebreakers to keep things competitive. However, defeats in straight sets at Nos. 1, 2 and 4 singles solidified the match victory for Wingate (5-2, 1-0 SAC).
True homesite competition at the Buddy Catlett Tennis Complex began with a doubles point that saw C-N's pairing of Hugo Castets (Gradigan, France) and Gabriel Dabdab (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) defeat the No. 5 doubles pairing in the country in Josep Canyadell and Daniel Belsito for Wingate, 6-3. Unfortunately for C-N, losses at No. 2 and 3 doubles allowed the Bulldogs to fire the opening salvo to clinch the match.
The Eagles' lone point came by way of the senior captain Dabdab at No. 5 singles, who defeated Matt Jones by a 7-6, 7-5 scoreline.
Dutch teammates Marc Janse (Zeewolde, Netherlands) and Ids Waterbolk (Bennekom, Netherlands) were able to battle through a flurry of points before falling in their respective matches. For Janse, his second loss in singles on the year came at No. 3 singles by a final of 6-7 (2-7), 6-7 (9-11) to No. 50 ranked Roy Stepanov. Waterbolk, who was previously undefeated in singles play, fell for the first time as an Eagle to Christian Cioppa in a 5-7, 7-6, 9-11 thriller.
Preseason All-SAC First Team members Daniel Belsito and Josep Canyadell were able to earn the Bulldogs a pair of match points at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively, with Belsito defeating Castets in straight sets at the top spot, 6-3, 6-1. Canyadell picked up a 6-4, 6-1 victory against Rintaro Oka (Narita, Japan) at the two hole to inch the Bulldogs further toward the match clinching point.
C-N will look to get back on track Saturday when they travel to Newberry. Opening serve is set for 2 p.m.
