Saturday, 03/31/2012

Brevard, N.C.----The Wingate University men’s tennis team earned its 21st consecutive South Atlantic Conference regular season victory Saturday, taking a 6-3 decision over Brevard College at the McCoy Tennis Complex. Senior Matt Lichtenstein (Darnestown, Md.) clinched the triumph for the Bulldogs with a win on court number three.

Wingate is 12-5 overall and 6-0 in the SAC. Brevard falls to 7-10 overall and 1-3 in the SAC. The Bulldogs host number 30 Anderson (S.C.) University (10-5 overall, 8-0 SAC) Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. The victor claims at least a share of the 2012 SAC regular season championship. Wingate is the defending SAC regular season champions.

Lichtenstein and classmate Drew Owen (Kitchener, Ontario) opened the scoring for the visitors, defeating Rory Northam and Jonathon Lavelle on 8-1 at the number two doubles flight. Freshman Diego Martinez (Queretaro, Mexico) and sophomore Ryan Forbes (Charlotte, N.C.) followed with an 8-3 number three doubles victory over Brevard’s Stefano Giovanolli and George Finch.

Brevard’s sophomore duo of Sam MacNeil and Beau Wills cut the deficit to 2-1 as they defeated Wingate senior Flavio Rathsam (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and freshman Neal Towlson (Warwick, Bermuda) 8-5 on court number one. MacNeil and Wills defeated Rathsam and Owen, respectively, in the final two singles matches of the day.

Martinez and Towlson recorded straight set wins on courts four and five, putting the Bulldogs within one point of clinching the victory. Lichtenstein followed with his 6-0, 6-1 win to clinch the match. Forbes added the final Bulldog point on court number six, topping Rob Havens 6-2, 6-2.

(Thank you to Brevard College SID Seth Montgomery for providing information for this article.)

Singles competition
1. Sam MacNeil (BC) def. Flavio Rathsam (WU) 6-4, 6-1
2. Beau Wills (BC) def. Drew Owen (WU) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5)
3. Matt Lichtenstein (WU) def. Rory Northam (BC) 6-0, 6-1
4. Diego Martinez (WU) def. Stefano Giovanolli (BC) 6-0, 6-1
5. Neal Towlson (WU) def. George Finch (BC) 6-1, 6-2
6. Ryan Forbes (WU) def. Rob Havens (BC) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. MacNeil/Wills (BC) def. Rathsam/Towlson (WU) 8-5
2. Owen/Lichtenstein (WU) def. Northam/Jonathon Lavelle (BC) 8-1
3. Martinez/Forbes (WU) def. Giovanolli/Finch (BC) 8-3

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