Men's Tennis Continues Play in Southern Intercollegiate Championships

ATHENS, Ga. – Mercer’s men’s tennis team continued play in the Southern Intercollegiate Championships on Saturday, hosted by the University of Georgia. In all, the Bears played in nine matches during the second day of the SIC event.

In the section one singles consolation round, Pierre Tafelski and Dave Barton both lost their matches on Saturday. Tafelski fell to Peter Nagovniak from Tennessee. Nagovniak won the first set 6-3 with Tafelski taking the second, 7-5.  In the deciding pro set in the third, Nagovniak won 11-9.

Barton was defeated by Florida’s Michael Alford, 6-1, 6-2.

After winning in the round of 64 in the section two singles flight, Peter Tauchner was toppled in the round of 32 by Vanderbilt’s Jeff Offerdahl, 6-4, 6-1, Saturday.

Newcomer Vincent DeLise – also playing in the section two singles flight – received a bye in the round of 64 on Friday and defeated Georgia Southern’s Albert Codina Sala (6-4, 6-3) in his round of 32 match on Saturday. However, DeLise was then upended in the final 16 by Georgia State’s Lucas Santana b y a 6-1, 6-3 score.

In the section three singles consolation bracket, John Bauerle was eliminated with a 6-2, 6-4 loss to Chad Pierron from Lipscomb. Teammate Elbert Beekman stayed alive by out-lasting Samford’s Scott Foster. Beekman won set one, 6-3 and dropped the second set by a 7-6 score (7-5 in the tiebreaker). In the tiebreaker pro set in the third, Beekman won by a 10-7 score.

MU’s only two doubles matches both occurred in the section two flight and both failed to go in the Bears’ favor. Beekman and Tauchner lost to Georgia’s tandem of Eric Diaz and Campbell Johnson, 8-3. Baurerle and DeLise fell to the Auburn duo of Lucas Lopasso and Rafael Rodino, 8-1.

The SIC tournament continues on Sunday and Monday.