#2 UNC Asheville Rallies Past #3 Presbyterian, 4-2, Advances to Championship Final
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - UNC Asheville Men's Tennis is Big South Conference Championship bound after rallying past Presbyterian for a 4-2 win on Saturday (Apr. 20). This is the first Big South Conference tournament championship appearance in program history, as the Bulldogs look to capture their first tournament championship since 1986.
Asheville won one match in doubles play as Presbyterian captured the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. Cian Ingles and Bruno Serra got the Bulldogs on the board with a 6-3 win at No. 2 doubles over Marco Foglieni and Denim Yadav, before Presbyterian rallied to win at No. 1 and No. 3 to take the doubles point.
Sam Nicholson got the Bulldogs on the board in singles play with a 6-2, 6-3 win over David Malimat at No. 2, before Rafa Serra gave Asheville a 2-1 lead with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Foglieni at No. 6. Bruno Serra was able to grind out a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win over Yadav at No. 5 to put Asheville up 3-1, before Presbyterian got within 3-2 with a win at No. 4. Jon Brann Reid clinched the match with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win at No. 5 to send Asheville to the final.
Doubles competition
1. MATOS, Javier/VASILAKIS, Evgenios (PC) def. Jon Brann Reid/Rafa Serra (Asheville) 7-5
2. Cian Ingles/Bruno Serra (Asheville) def. FOGLIENI, Marco/YADAV, Denim (PC) 6-3
3. CARDOSO, Pedro/MAMALAT, David (PC) def. Freddy Murray/Sam Nicholson (Asheville) 6-4
Singles competition
1. Freddy Murray (Asheville) vs. MATOS, Javier (PC) 5-7, 7-5, 2-2, unfinished
2. Sam Nicholson (Asheville) def. MAMALAT, David (PC) 6-2, 6-3
3. Jon Brann Reid (Asheville) def. CARDOSO, Pedro (PC) 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
4. VASILAKIS, Evgenios (PC) def. Tarek Erlewein (Asheville) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
5. Bruno Serra (Asheville) def. YADAV, Denim (PC) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
6. Rafa Serra (Asheville) def. FOGLIENI, Marco (PC) 6-2, 7-5
The Bulldogs (15-7) take on top seed Gardner-Webb in the Big South Conference Championship tomorrow (Sunday, Apr. 21). First serve is set for 12:00 p.m. from Marion Diehl Park in Charlotte, N.C.