HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman men's tennis team kicked off its fall season on Saturday and Sunday, playing in the LMU Invitational and debuting a slew of new talent to start the 2024 fall season.
In doubles play against Tusculum on day one, C-N debuted a trio of new doubles teams, and the Pioneers used their experienced pairings to defeat the Eagles in all three matches.
DAY 1 RESULTS
Doubles vs. Tusculum
No. 1: W. Gee/R. Verhaar (TU) def. M. Van Dalen/P. Gayk (C-N), 6-4
No. 2: N. Matsugama/F. Velasquez (TU) def. G. Jankulovski/M. Saunders (C-N), 6-2
No. 3: I. Wolff/E. England (TU) def. B. Jordanov/A. Standefer (C-N), 6-3
C-N also squared off with Lee in doubles, and while the Eagles put up a good fight, the Flames took all four matches.
Doubles vs. Lee
No. 1: Q. Groenendijk/F. Krohn (Lee) def. M. Van Dalen/P. Gayk (C-N), 7-5
No. 2: W. Van Der Merwe/S. Mos (Lee) def. G. Jankulovski/M. Saunders (C-N), 7-6 (7-5)
No. 3: J. Langerhuizen/J. Vaughan (Lee) def. L. Baecker/K. Nelson, 6-2
No. 4: Y. Liu/J. Sanford (Lee) def. A. Standefer/B. Jordanov (C-N), 6-1
C-N made an impression in doubles play against LMU later in the day, taking all three against the Railsplitters. Freshmen Boris Jordanov and Keegan Nelson combined for their first doubles win with C-N in tiebreaker fashion.
Doubles vs. LMU
No. 1: M. Van Dalen/P. Gayk (C-N) def. H. Mills/S. Aranzeta (LMU), 6-4
No. 2: G. Jankulovski/M. Saunders (C-N) def. E. Hirons/R. Florea (LMU), 6-1
No. 3: L. Baecker/K. Nelson (C-N) def. F. Battaglino/K. Fischer (LMU), 7-6 (9-7)
The Eagles closed out day one with eight singles matches against the Railsplitters, and despite a handful of tight scores, LMU won all eight matches.
Singles vs. LMU
No. 1: Radu Florea (LMU) def. Marnix Van Dalen (C-N), 7-5/6-3
No. 2: Thom Hermans (LMU) def. Gjorgji Jankulovski (C-N), 7-6/6-3
No. 3: Harper Mills (LMU) def. Matthew Saunders (C-N), 6-4/6-2
No. 4: E. Hirons (LMU) def. Leonard Baecker (C-N), 6-2/6-2
No. 5: Sergio Aranzeta (LMU) def. Paul Gayk (C-N), 5-7/6-2/10-8
No. 6: Franco Battaglino (LMU) def. Keegan Nelson (C-N), 6-1/6-0
No. 7: K. Fischer (LMU) def. Aidan Standefer (C-N), 6-0/6-0
No. 8: Francisco Faggi (LMU) def. Boris Jordanov (C-N), 6-0/6-2
The Eagles returned on day two to face off with Tusculum in singles play, winning four of the seven matches. Returners Marnix Van Dalen, Gjorgji Jankulovski, and Paul Gayk earned their first singles wins of the fall, while freshman Boris Jordanov secured his first singles win in his young C-N career.
DAY 2 RESULTS
Singles vs. Tusculum
No. 1: Marnix Van Dalen (C-N) def. Rens Verhaar (TU), 6-3/6-3
No. 2: Gjorgji Jankulovski (C-N) def. Will Gee (TU), 10-7/2-6/6-2
No. 3: Nathan Matsugama (TU) def. Matthew Saunders (C-N), 6-0/7-5
No. 4: Sarthak Sharma (TU) def. Leonard Baecker (C-N), 6-2/6-7/10-3
No. 5: Paul Gayk (C-N) def. Felipe Velasquez (TU), 8-6/6-2
No. 6: Isaac Wolff (TU) def. Aidan Standefer (C-N), 6-0/6-2
No. 7: Boris Jordanov (C-N) def. Eli England (TU), 6-2/6-2
C-N wrapped up the two-day LMU Invitational with two singles matches against Campbellsville. The Tigers won both despite freshmen Leonard Baecker and Aidan Standefer taking the matches to three sets.
Singles vs. Campbellsville
Manuel Pinheiro (CU) def. Leonard Baecker (C-N), 6-0/4-6/11-9
Vance Hopkins (CU) def. Aidan Standefer (C-N), 6-4/3-6/10-4
On Thursday, C-N will return to the courts, heading to Belmont, North Carolina, for the Belmont Abbey Invitational.
For updates throughout the fall season, visit cneagles.com and follow us on social media @cn_eagles.
