Men's Tennis | 4/9/2016 5:49:00 PM

Box Score

Wingate, N.C.----For the third consecutive year and sixth time in the last eight seasons, the Wingate University Bulldogs have won at least a share of the regular season South Atlantic Conference championship. The Bulldogs defeated Newberry College 5-4 in SAC men's tennis action Saturday to move to 16-4 overall and 10-1 in the SAC. The Wolves fall to 18-4 overall and 7-3 in the conference.

"I'm super proud of the guys," head coach Michael Cabana says. "It's been an up and down year for us. Conditions weren't great today, but we found a way to win. To have Westin clinch it, being such a team guy his whole career, for him to step up on Senior Day and find a way to win in a tiebreaker was huge. I'm just really proud of how they battled."

The Bulldogs won two out of three in doubles action, starting with an 8-5 win at number one doubles from senior Sebastian Hall (Lorrach, Germany) and junior Connor Kudrick (Spring, Texas). Hall and Kudrick went 10-1 against the SAC at number one doubles this season. Junior Tyler Schofer (Graham, N.C.) and Filippo Pezzoli (Milan, Italy) added an 8-6 victory at three doubles to give the 'Dogs a 2-1 lead heading to singles play.

Sophomore Josh DuToit (Charlotte, N.C.) put the 'Dogs up 3-1 with a 6-4, 6-2 win at five singles, moving him to 11-0 in singles play against the SAC this year. Kudrick put the Bulldogs on top 4-2 with a 7-6, 6-1 victory at number two singles, but Newberry notched wins at one, three and four singles to make it 4-4.

The match came down to senior Westin Bennett (Calgary, Alberta). After dropping the first set, he won the second 6-4 to send it to a decisive third set. That would go into a tiebreaker, which Bennett won 7-2 to clinch the match for Wingate.

The Bulldogs are back in action Sunday, April 17, hosting Limestone at 1 p.m. Wingate will be the two-time defending champion in the SAC Tournament, which gets underway April 21 at Brevard.