The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s tennis team posted a 5-2 Southern Conference win at The Citadel this afternoon. The Mocs improved to 6-11 overall (1-3 SoCon) with their first league win of the spring.
Chattanooga bounced back quickly after a tough 4-3 loss at Mercer yesterday. UTC continued its improvement in doubles play by winning the opening point for the second straight match. It was the first time this season the Mocs won all three doubles matches.
Senior Nick Wingord and sophomore Michael Birnbaum started with a 6-0 shutout at No.
3, followed by senior John Peacey and junior Derek Brown’s 6-4 win at No. 2. Senior Luke Saunders and junior Lucas Plesky won their fourth in a row at No. 1.
“I was very proud of the way the guys responded after a tough loss against Mercer yesterday,” stated head coach Carlos Garcia. “We are getting better and better each time out in doubles and that takes a lot of pressure off of us in singles play.”
Chattanooga won the first set in four of the six singles matches to keep the momentum against the Bulldogs. Peacey made it 2-0 with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Jackson Pride at No. 4. The Bulldogs tied it up at 2-2 with wins at No. 3 and No. 4.
UTC went back up 4-3 with Brown’s 7-5, 6-1 win over Roy Hobson at No. 6. Saunders clinched the win with a 6-3, 6-1 victory against Artemie Amari at No. 2. Plesky closed out the match with his three set win over Nicholas Bradley at No. 1.
The Mocs are back in action on April 9 at ETSU. Match time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Johnson City, Tenn.
Chattanooga 5, The Citadel 2
Apr 03, 2016 at Charleston, S.C. (Earle Tennis Center)
Doubles competition
1. Lucas Plesky/Luke Saunders (UTC) def. Artemie Amari/Matthew Henson (CIT) 7-5
2. John Peacey/Derrick Brown (UTC) def. Nicholas Bradley/Michael Anzalone (CIT) 6-4
3. Nick Wingord/Michael Birnbaum (UTC) def. Jackson Pride/Trey Davis (CIT) 6-0
Singles competition
1. Lucas Plesky (UTC) def. Nicholas Bradley (CIT) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Luke Saunders (UTC) def. Artemie Amari (CIT) 6-3, 6-1
3. Matthew Henson (CIT) def. Nick Wingord (UTC) 6-3, retired
4. John Peacey (UTC) def. Jackson Pride (CIT) 6-3, 6-0
5. Michael Anzalone (CIT) def. Pablo Llebeili (UTC) 6-2, 6-4
6. Derrick Brown (UTC) def. Roy Hobson (CIT) 7-5, 6-1