March 16, 2011

Bears Lose in Men's Tennis; Butler Did It

MACON, Ga. – Mercer University's men's tennis team had its two-match win streak snapped versus non-conference foe Butler University, 4-3, at the John Drew Smith Tennis Center. Both the Bears (6-7) and the Bulldogs (2-8) played the match without its full complement of players.

Because the Bears have a pair of crucial Atlantic Sun Conference bouts this weekend at North Florida and Jacksonville, MU head coach Warren Wollfolk gave three of his starters nursing nagging injuries – Pierre Tafelski, Fernando Armendaris and Guilherme Frias – the afternoon off.

Butler had just five healthy players.

The Bulldogs won the team point for doubles by winning both the Nos. 1 and 2 matches.

Mercer took a default at no. 6 singles and upped the team score to 2-1 when freshman John Bauerle finished BU's David Dolin's, 6-3, 6-2, in straight sets. It was Baurele's first-ever collegiate victory.

Butler won the next two matches off the courts at No. 2 and No. 4 singles, giving the Bulldogs a 3-2 match lead. MU knotted matters at 3-3 when David Barton won a three-set victory over BU's Zach Ervin. Barton dropped set one, 6-1, but won the second, 6-3. In the third set, Barton blasted his way to a 6-0 win.

That left the match hanging on No. 1 singles, where the Bears' Peter Tauchner and Butler's Brandon Bayliss split sets. Tauchner won the opener by a 6-1 score, with Bayliss returning the favor in the second set by an identical 6-1 tally. The third set was tied 6-6 and went to a tiebreaker, where the duo was tied at 4-4 before Bayliss won the next three points to take his match and secure the team win.

Mercer University
Butler vs Mercer University (Mar 16, 2011)

Butler 4, Mercer University 3
Mar 16, 2011 at Macon, Ga.

Singles competition

1. BAYLISS, Brandon (BU) def. Peter Tauchner (MERM) 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)

2. HERRON, Chris (BU) def. Evandro Rosindo (MERM) 6-3, 6-4

3. David Barton (MERM) def. ERVIN, Zach (BU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-0

4. THEODOR, Lenz (BU) def. Elbert Beekman (MERM) 6-3, 6-4

5. John Bauerle (MERM) def. DOLINS, David (BU) 6-3, 6-2

6. Justin Cecil (MERM) def. No player (BU), by default

Doubles competition

1. ERVIN, Zach/HERRON, Chris (BU) def. Peter Tauchner/Evandro Rosindo (MERM) 8-5

2. BAYLISS, Brandon/THEODOR, Lenz (BU) def. Justin Cecil/John Bauerle (MERM) 8-2