WINGATE, N.C. — The Carson-Newman men's tennis team (3-5, 2-3 SAC) could not quite string together three wins in a row after falling to Wingate (8-3, 6-0 SAC) 8-1 Saturday afternoon in Wingate.
The South Atlantic Conference-leading Bulldogs made quick work of a fatigued Eagles club who played in their fifth match in just seven days
"This week has been a tough challenge but overall the positives have outweighed the negatives," coach Jean Love said. "Both teams were 3-2 this week, but most importantly we competed well and played some good tennis."
Carson-Newman's only point of the match came in doubles play as Juan Sebastian Perez (Ecaudor) and Kevin Mendes (Woodstock, Ga.) took the number-two match with a score of 8-4. Joao Pedro Oliveira (Brazil) and Austin Mackay (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) lost for the first time this season. Their undefeated stretch of seven games concluded with a narrow defeated 8-6 in the number-three match.
The Eagles would be held winless in singles play, as no match reached a third set. Oliveira, competing as the team's number one, was the closest player to do so before he lost a set one tiebreaker 7-6(3). An injury to Mendes forced freshman Taylor Barie (Woodstock, Ga.) into play for his first action of his young career. Barie lost at the number five 6-0, 6-1.
"Wingate was just a better team today," Love said. "This was our fifth match in seven days. We were tired and Wingate took advantage as good teams do."
The Eagles are now in a three-way for sixth in the SAC with Newberry and Mars Hill.
Carson-Newman will rest up before travelling to Tennessee Wesleyan on Thursday for a 2 p.m. match time.
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