Harrogate, Tenn.----The Wingate University men’s and women’s tennis teams swept a South Atlantic Conference twin bill over Lincoln Memorial University Saturday afternoon. The number 49 Bulldog women claimed an 8-1 decision to clinch the SAC regular season championship, while the number 42 Wingate men earned a 5-4 victory.
 
#42 Wingate men 5, Lincoln Memorial 4
 
Wingate junior Ryan Forbes (Charlotte, N.C.) won the clincher, defeating LMU freshman Guilherme Rocha (Victoria, Brazil) 7-5, 6-1 in the number six singles match as the Bulldogs handed the Railsplitters their first SAC loss. Bulldog freshmen Sebastian Hall (Lörrach, Germany) and Roberto Hennis (Raleigh, N.C.) also won singles matches for the visitors.
 
“The guys played great today,” Cabana says. “We got off to a quick start…with much energy. Our intensity was very good. I hope we are hitting our stride as we prepare for the SAC tournament.”
 
Hall split sets with Railsplitter junior Marcelo Alvim (Sao Paulo, Brazil) at the number three singles flight. Hall won the first set 6-4, while Alvim took the second set 6-3. Hall prevailed in the 10-point tiebreaker by a score of 13-11 (the SAC plays 10-point tiebreakers in lieu of the third set this season). Hennis defeated LMU junior Alexey Minevskiy (Taganrog, Russia) 7-5, 7-5 in the number four singles match.
 
The Bulldogs started the day by winning two of the three doubles matches. Hennis and Hall led the way with two victories each Saturday. Hennis teamed with sophomore Neal Towlson (Warwick, Bermuda) to claim a tight 8-6 decision in the number one doubles match. Hall and sophomore Josh Eardley (Newcastle, Staffordshire, England) collected an 8-4 triumph at the number three doubles flight.
 
In the “no rest for the weary” department, both Wingate teams host Southeast Region foe Mount Olive Sunday at 1 p.m. The University will honor Ferguson and Goreski in a pre-match ceremony at approximately 12:30 p.m. Lincoln Memorial continues SAC play, visiting local rival Carson-Newman for a 2 p.m. league doubleheader.

#49 Wingate women 8, Lincoln Memorial 1
 
The Wingate women won their third consecutive SAC regular season championship in convincing fashion, sweeping the doubles and taking five of the six singles matches. “Today was an exciting day for us,” Wingate head coach Michael Cabana says. “It is a great feeling.”
 
Cabana and his student-athletes recognize the significance of this achievement. “This is a huge accomplishment to win three in a row,” Cabana says. “This doesn’t happen too often in the world of sports.”
 
Wingate junior Ali Evers (Roswell, Ga.) was one of five Bulldogs to win twice Saturday. She teamed with sophomore Becca Thomas (Alpharetta, Ga.) to earn an 8-5 triumph at the number one doubles position. In the number one singles contest, Evers defeated LMU senior Leah Donoff (Tipp City, Ohio) 7-6, 6-2.
 
Seniors Kelli Ferguson (Charlotte, N.C.) and Helen Goreski (Oakville, Ontario) made sure their final Tennessee trip ended on a positive note, winning two matches each. Ferguson teamed with junior Morgan Winston (Lawrenceville, Ga.) to record an 8-3 victory at the number two doubles flight. Goreski and sophomore Tiffany Williams (Cary, N.C.) followed suit with an identical 8-3 win at the number three doubles position.
 
In singles, Ferguson defeated LMU junior Jessica Baker (Barboursville, Ky.) 6-3, 6-2 at the number five slot. Goreski lost only one game in a 6-1, 6-0 triumph over Railsplitter freshman Summer Robinson (Mosheim, Tenn.) in the number six singles match. Winston and Williams emulated their senior teammates, taking singles victories at the number three and number four flights, respectively.

Men’s Tennis Match Results
Wingate vs Lincoln Memorial
4/6/2013 at Harrogate, Tenn. (LMU Tennis Courts)

#42 Wingate 5, Lincoln Memorial 4

Singles competition
1. Philipp Hoffmann (LMU) def. Kennedy Cancelado (WU) 6-3, 6-1
2. Will Sparks (LMU) def. Neal Towlson (WU) 6-4, 4-5, default
3. Sebastian Hall (WU) def. Marcelo Alvim (LMU) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (11)
4. Roberto Hennis (WU) def. Alexey Minevskiy (LMU) 7-5, 7-5
5. Gabriel Martins (LMU) def. Luis Osio (WU) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (6)
6. Ryan Forbes (WU) def. Guilherme Rocha (LMU) 7-5, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Towlson/Hennis (WU) def. Hoffmann/Minevskiy (LMU) 8-6
2. Sparks/Alvim (LMU) def. Cancelado/Forbes (WU) 8-2
3. Hall/Josh Eardley (WU) def. Martins/Michael Koenen (LMU) 8-4

Match Notes:
Wingate 13-8, 7-2 SAC; National ranking #42; Regional ranking RV
Lincoln Memorial 8-4, 5-1 SAC; Regional ranking RV

Women’s Tennis Match Results
Wingate vs Lincoln Memorial
4/6/2013 at Harrogate, Tenn. (LMU Tennis Courts)

#49 Wingate 8, Lincoln Memorial 1

Singles competition
1. Ali Evers (WU) def. Leah Donoff (LMU) 7-6, 6-2
2. Elena Vasilyeva (LMU) def. Becca Thomas (WU) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (8)
3. Morgan Winston (WU) def. Alexandra Granger (LMU) 6-0, 7-5
4. Tiffany Williams (WU) def. Aura Penalosa (LMU) 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (6)
5. Kelli Ferguson (WIN) def. Jessica Baker (LMU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Helen Goreski (WIN) def. Summer Robinson (LMU) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Evers/Thomas (WU) def. Donoff/Penalosa (LMU) 8-5
2. Winston/Ferguson (WU) def. Granger/Baker (LMU) 8-3
3. Williams/Goreski (WU) def. Vasilyeva/Robinson (LMU) 8-3

Match Notes:
Wingate 14-5, 9-0 SAC; National ranking #49; Regional ranking #9
Lincoln Memorial 5-6, 3-3 SAC