Men's Tennis Can't Overcome Campbell

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer men's tennis team's hopes to clinch a spot in the six-team Atlantic Sun Conference post-season tournament were put on hold as the team lost a 5-2 decision to Campbell University at the Leroy Peddy Tennis Center.

The Bears (7-10, 4-4 A-Sun) will need to win one of their final two upcoming conference matches to lock in a tournament berth.

On Saturday, things started out promising as Mercer earned the team point for doubles by garnering two of the three matches against the Camels (13-2, 5-1 A-Sun).  

The duo of Fernando Armendaris and Guilherme Frias – which had previously played all of its matches in the No. 3 position this season – was bumped up to the No. 2 slot versus Campbell and responded with a 8-6 win. The Armendaris-Frias tandem improved to 10-1 in doubles play overall.

David Barton and Pierre Tafelski won at No. 3 doubles, topping the Camels Larbi Lamzouri and Josep Baro by a 9-7 score.

The Bears' stumbling block came in singles play, where Campbell won the Nos. 1-5 matches in straight sets.

Barton gave the Bears their only singles point as he won his sixth-consecutive match with a 6-3, 7-5 win over CU's Baro.  Barton's win also kept him unbeaten in the A-Sun at 7-0.