Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University tennis teams lost only match Wednesday, claiming men’s and women’s victories over Coker College Wednesday afternoon at the WU Tennis Complex. The Bulldog men collected an 8-1 victory, improving to 13-3 overall. Wingate’s men have won nine matches in a row. The Wingate women improve to 12-6 overall after a 9-0 blanking of the Cobras.

The Bulldog men continued their stellar play, as the hosts lost only three games in the number two through number five singles flight. Wingate sophomore Flavio Rathsam (Sao Paulo, Brazil) wrapped his regular season with his 26th consecutive singles victory for the hosts.

In the number four singles match, Rathsam defeated senior Fred Estep (Hartsville, S.C.) 6-0, 6-1 to improve his 2009-10 singles record to a perfect 15-0 overall. In doubles, Rathsam teamed with sophomore Bruno Pudence (Sao Paulo, Brazil) to pick up a thrilling 9-8 (1) triumph over Coker juniors Juan Vallejo-Gonzalez (Quito, Ecuador) and Evan Schreiner (Seneca, S.C.) at the number one flight.

Vallejo-Gonzalez earned Coker’s only victory Wednesday, outlasted Pudence 6-2, 1-6, 1-0 at the number one singles flight. The two combatants played a 10-5 super tie-breaker in lieu of the third set. At the number two singles position, Wingate sophomore Matthew Lichtenstein (Darnestown, Md.) defeated Schreiner 6-0, 6-1.

Both Wingate teams will focus their attention on the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference tournament April 22-24. The Wingate men’s and women’s tennis road matches at Queens University of Charlotte scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday, April 8) have been cancelled.

NCAA DIVISION II MEN’S MATCH RESULTS
WINGATE 8, COKER 1 (at Wingate, N.C.)

Singles
#1 Juan Vallejo-Gonzalez (COKER) def. Bruno Pudence (WIN) 6-2, 1-6, 1-0 (5)
#2 Matthew Lichtenstein (WIN) def. Evan Schreiner (COKER) 6-0, 6-1
#3 Andrew Owen (WIN) def. Ty Medlin (COKER) 6-0, 6-0
#4 Flavio Rathsam (WIN) def. Fred Estep (COKER) 6-0, 6-1
#5 Louis Villarroel (WIN) def. Chad Austin (COKER) 6-0, 6-1
#6 Fernando Montemurro (WIN) won by default (no Coker player)
Doubles
#1 Pudence/Rathsam (WIN) def. Vallejo-Gonzalez/Schreiner (COKER) 9-8 (1)
#2 Montemurro/Greg Machado (WIN) def. Medlin/Estep (COKER) 8-1
#3 #3 Lichtenstein/Owen (WIN) won by default (no Coker team)
RECORDS: Wingate 13-3 overall, Coker 1-10 overall