March 19, 2011

Men's Tennis Gets Road Win at Jacksonville, 4-3

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mercer's men's tennis team returned to its winning ways in the Atlantic Sun Conference with a 4-3 win at Jacksonville University on Saturday afternoon.

The Bears improved to 7-8 overall and 4-2 in the A-Sun.

MU earned the team point for doubles to start the day, taking the Nos. 1 and 2 matches.

At No. 1 doubles, the tandem of Peter Tauchner and Evandro Rosindo won an extended set, 9-8, over JU's Larry Condez and Jose Fantova. At No. 2 doubles, the MU tandem of Pierre Tafelski and David Barton were 8-5 winners over the Dolphins' Lance Lvovsky and Logan Shalmi.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was at third doubles, where Mercer's duo of Guilherme Frias and Fernando Armendaris lost their first match of the year after an 8-0 start.

The teams split the singles matches, with the Bears winning at the Nos. 1, 5 and 6 positions.

At No. 1, Tafelski defeated Fantova, 6-4, 6-4. At No. 5, Frias bounced back from the dobles loss to grab a 6-1, 7-6 win over JU's Matthew Hansen.

Barton's win at No. 6 singles – a 6-1, 6-3 decision over Jacksonville's Shalmi – gave the sophomore his team-leading 10^th singles win (10-3) on the year.

The men's team will next host USC Upstate on Friday (March 25) at 2 p.m.

Mercer 4, Jacksonville 3
Mar 19, 2011 at Jacksonville, Fla.

Singles competition

1. Pierre Tafelski (MERM) def. Jose Fantova (JU) 6-4, 6-4

2. Fernando Bano Lopez (JU) def. Peter Tauchner (MERM) 6-1, 6-1

3. Lance Lvovsky (JU) def. Fernando Armendaris (MERM) 6-3, 7-6

4. Larry Condez (JU) def. Evandro Rosindo (MERM) 6-2, 6-3

5. Guilherme Frias (MERM) def. Matthew Hansen (JU) 6-1, 7-6

6. David Barton (MERM) def. Logan Shalmi (JU) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. Peter Tauchner/Evandro Rosindo (MERM) def. Larry Condez/Jose Fantova (JU) 9-8

2. Pierre Tafelski/David Barton (MERM) def. Lance Lvovsky/Logan Shalmi (JU) 8-5