Monroe, N.C.----The Wingate University men’s tennis team posted five straight-set wins in singles, earning a 7-2 victory over Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference men’s tennis match Friday afternoon at the Monroe High School tennis facility.

The Bulldogs, ranked 38th nationally and 11th regionally, moved to 10-3 overall and 4-0 in the SAC with the win. Wingate has won six consecutive matches. The Pioneers suffered their third straight loss and fell to 5-6 overall and 1-1 in SAC play. Tusculum is ranked number 17 in the regional poll.

Wingate took a 2-0 lead in doubles action as Fernando Montemurro and Ryan Forbes picked up an 8-3 win over Gui Carvalho and Drew Kiser at flight three, followed by an 8-5 victory for Matthew Lichtenstein and Braeden Patchell at flight two over the Pioneers’ Oliver Smith and Steven Lin.

Tusculum got on the board at flight one doubles, as Tony Bujana and Luis Zamora survived for an 8-6 win over Andrew Owen and Flavio Rathsam. In singles, the Bulldogs won five straight matches before Kiser finished action on an up note for the Pioneers with a 6-2, 7-5 victory at flight six over Louis Villarroel.

Lichtenstein defeated Smith 6-0, 6-1 at flight one, Owen downed Bujana 6-2, 6-2 at flight two and Rathsam was a 6-2, 6-0 winner over Zamora at flight three. At flight four, Patchell posted a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Lin and Montemurro got past Carvalho 6-1, 6-2 at flight five.

Wingate hosts Carson-Newman College Saturday for its inaugural Breast Cancer Awareness match at 12 noon. The  Breast Cancer Awareness match will be held at the Wingate University tennis facility as originally scheduled. Tusculum visits Catawba College at 11 a.m. Saturday.

(Special thanks to Tusculum College assistant SID Jim Miller for providing this match story.)

Tennis Match Results

Tusculum vs #38 Wingate

3/18/2011 at Monroe, N.C.

(Monroe HS tennis complex)

 

#38 Wingate 7, Tusculum 2

 

Singles competition

1. Matthew Lichtenstein (WIN) def. Oliver Smith (TC) 6-0, 6-1

2. Andrew Owen (WIN) def. Tony Bujana (TC) 6-2, 6-2

3. Flavio Rathsam (WIN) def. Luis Zamora (TC) 6-2, 6-0

4. Braeden Patchell (WIN) def. Steven Lin (TC) 6-1, 6-1

5. Fernando Montemurro (WIN) def. Gui Carvalho (TC) 6-1, 6-2

6. Drew Kiser (TC) def. Louis Villarroel (WIN) 6-2, 7-5

 

Doubles competition

1. Bujana/Zamora (TC) def. Owen/Rathsam (WIN) 8-6

2. Lichtenstein/Patchell (WIN) def. Smith/Lin (TC) 8-5

3. Montemurro/Ryan Forbes (WIN) def. Carvalho/Kiser (TCM) 8-3

 

Match Notes:

Tusculum 5-6 all, 1-1 SAC; Regional ranking #17

Wingate 10-3 all, 4-0 SAC; National ranking #38; Regional ranking #11

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,3,2,4,5,6)

 

Wingate hosts C-N Saturday at 12 noon (Breast Cancer Awareness match)

Tusculum visits Catawba Saturday at 11 a.m.

Official: Floyd Willis