Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University junior Fernando Montemurro (Sao Paulo, Brazil) clinched the victory for the Bulldogs on singles court number six, helping the second seeds earn a 5-4 victory over number six Brevard College Tornados Friday in the semi-finals of the 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference men’s tennis tournament.
 
The Tornados took a 2-1 lead after doubles play. Cole Altizer and Jarred Fisher struck first blood on the afternoon, recording an 8-5 victory on court number two against Montemurro and sophomore Greg Machado (Sao Paulo, Brazil). Wingate evened the match on court number three as sophomores Matthew Lichtenstein (Darnestown, Md.) and Andrew Owen (Kitchener, Ontario) topped Brevard’s Jonathan Kuhn and Andrew Thompson 8-5. The Tornados took the lead heading into singles on court number one as Scott McCormick and Dorian Feron battled their way to a 9-8 (9-7) win over Bulldog sophomores Bruno Pudence (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Flavio Rathsam (Sao Paulo, Brazil). 

In singles competition, Rathsam evened the score at two with a 6-3, 6-0 victory on over Feron on court five. Lichtenstein gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the afternoon, defeating Altizer in straight sets (6-4, 6-4) on court number two to put the score back at 3-2. McCormick tied the match back up with his 6-1, 7-6 court number one win over Pudence. 

Victories by Wingate junior Braeden Patchell (Oakville, Ontario, Canada) on court number four and Brevard’s Andrew Thompson on court number three left the match tied at 4-4, with the singles match on court number six the only one still in play. 

In the deciding match, Montemurro and Shane Apps battled through the first set, with Montemurro winning 7-6 (7-4). The Wingate junior then put the match away with a 6-1 second set victory to seal the match.
Wingate (14-4 overall) advances to the 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference men’s tennis championship match against number one seed Lincoln Memorial, held at the Rock Hill Tennis Club tomorrow afternoon at noon. The Railsplitters advanced to the Food Lion SAC tournament finals with a 5-0 win over number four seed Mars Hill in the semifinals on Friday. 

“It was a fight out on the courts today,” Wingate head coach Michael Cabana says. “We were lucky to win; Brevard left it all on the court and really pushed us to the brink. I’m excited about the opportunity to play LMU for the tournament championship tomorrow. We are going to have to play better to win, but we look forward to the challenge.” 

(A special thanks to Brevard College SID Seth Montgomery for providing this story.) 

2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Men’s Tennis
Tennis Match Results
#2 Wingate University 5, #6 Brevard College 4
Apr 23, 2010 at Rock Hill, S.C. (Rock Hill Tennis Club) 

Singles competition
1. Scott McCormick (BC) def. Bruno Pudence (WIN) 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
2. Matthew Lichtenstein (WIN) def. Cole Altizer (BC) 6-4, 6-4
3. Andrew Thompson (BC) def. Andrew Owen (WIN) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
4. Braeden Patchell (WIN) def. Jarred Fisher (BC) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
5. Flavio Rathsam (WIN) def. Dorian Feron (BC) 6-3, 6-0
6. Fernando Montemurro (WIN) def. Shane Apps (BC) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 

Doubles competition
1. Dorian Feron/Scott McCormick (BC) def. Bruno Pudence/Flavio Rathsam (WIN) 9-8 (9-7)
2. Cole Altizer/Jarred Fisher (BC) def. Fernando Montemurro/Greg Machado (WIN) 8-5
3. Andrew Owen/Matthew Lichtenstein (WIN) def. Jonathan Kuhn/Andrew Thompson (BC) 8-5 

Match Notes
#6 Brevard College 8-12
#2 Wingate University 14-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,2,1,4,3,6)
2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Men's Tennis Tournament Semifinals
Wingate’s Fernando Montemurro clinches the match at singles #6
Wingate advances to face #1 Lincoln Memorial tomorrow afternoon at noon