Boiling Springs, N.C.----The Wingate men's tennis team won the doubles point to take an early lead before NCAA Division I host Gardner-Webb won five singles matches to take a 5-2 victory over the defending South Atlantic Conference champion Bulldogs at the Webb Tennis Center.
 
Wingate was playing its season opener. Hugo Nossler won two matches for the visitors. Gardner-Webb is 3-0 overall on the young season.
 
DOUBLES

- Nossler and Luka Brown claimed a 6-3 win at one doubles
- Edis Nokic and Gabriel Constantino won 6-1 at two doubles
- The number three doubles match did not finish
- Wingate took a 1-0 lead into singles play

SINGLES

- Gardner-Webb won the top four singles matches to rally for the win
- At five singles, Nossler won the first set 6-3
- GWU's Chrisjan Van Wyk took the second set 6-3
- Nossler prevailed 18-16 in the third set tiebreaker

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

Wingate head men's tennis coach Derrick Taylor

"I thought we really looked sharp in doubles today. The guys really executed and played the Bulldog Way. Going into singles, we definitely had momentum, but give credit to Gardner-Webb. Their top three singles' players were on fire. They came flying out of the gates and really put us on our back feet. Overall, I think we learned much…both about how we can compete and what we need to work on moving forward."

UP NEXT

- Wingate opens its home slate Thursday, Feb. 8
- The Bulldogs host Belmont Abbey at the WU Tennis Complex