Wingate, N.C.----The 14th-ranked Wingate University men's tennis team prevailed 7-2 against Lincoln Memorial University in South Atlantic Conference tennis action Sunday afternoon, while the No. 21 Bulldog women cruised to a 9-0 victory. The Wingate men improve to 13-5 overall and 6-1 in league play, while the women move to 15-3 overall and 7-0 in the SAC. The Bulldog women have now won 66 consecutive league matches.
The Wingate men went 2-1 in doubles play, starting with a convincing 8-0 victory at number one doubles from senior
Josh DuToit (Charlotte, N.C.) and sophomore
Daniel Belsito (Charlotte, N.C.). Freshmen
Josep Canyadell (Lleida, Spain) and
Matthew Jones (Shrewsbury, United Kingdom) picked up an 8-5 victory at three doubles to give the 'Dogs the lead heading to singles play.
Belsito won 6-4, 6-0 at number one singles to stay perfect in league play this season. Jones won 6-3, 6-4 at two singles, while Canyadell prevailed 6-4, 6-1 at three singles. Freshman
Enrico Giacomini (Vicenza, Italy) picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at number four singles, with DuToit collecting an 8-3 victory at five singles.
The Bulldog women rolled through doubles play to take a 3-0 lead. Senior
Maria Garcia (San Carlos, Venezuela) and sophomore
Michela Verpelli (Milan, Italy) won 8-2 at one doubles, while juniors
Claudia De Andreis (Milan, Italy) and
Sydney Homan (Huntsville, Ala.) prevailed by the same score at two doubles. Senior
Oroma Womeodu (Memphis, Tenn.) teamed with freshman
Chyi Lee (Taipei, Taiwan) for an 8-3 victory at three doubles to put Wingate on top 3-0 heading to singles play.
Verpelli cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 victory at number one singles, while De Andreis won 6-4, 6-1 at two singles. Lee prevailed 6-2, 6-3 at three singles, while Womeodu won 6-4, 6-1at four singles. Sophomore
Marisa Ostoja (Split, Croatia) notched a 6-1, 6-2 victory at number five singles, while Homan capped the day with an 8-2 win at six singles.
Both teams are back in action Monday, hosting Tusculum in a pair of key league matches at 11 a.m. The Tusculum women are 17-0 overall and 7-0 in league play, ranking 13th in the nation and second in the region, setting up a matchup of the last two teams unbeaten in SAC play. The Pioneer men are ranked 31st nationally.
