Tusculum College Men’s Tennis Team Claims SAC Championship

Greeneville, Tenn.-- The No. 35 Tusculum College men's tennis team defeated Wingate University 7-2 to win the South Atlantic Conference championship at Tusculum College and the Nichols Tennis Complex Saturday afternoon.

With the victory, the Tusculum men win the outright SAC Championship, their third in school history. The Wingate men fought hard, taking the top three singles matches to three sets each. In addition, number three doubles was decided by a 9-8 verdict.

Tusculum's Carlos Garcia became the first player in Pioneer history to go undefeated in SAC singles play. A senior from Caracas, Venezuela, Garcia won his 25th straight SAC singles match, but had to rally from a set down to defeat Braeden Patchell 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 at number three singles.

Tusculum (17-1, 7-0 SAC) swept all three doubles matches, including an 8-1 pro set win by the number two duo of Henrique Rodrigues and Leo Guaycurus.

TC senior Sergio Espinosa fell behind 6-3 in the opening set of his match with Mitchell Lvovsky at number one singles, but he fought back to claim the next two sets, 6-4, 6-0.

Wingate (8-12, 3-4 SAC) earned its three-set singles victory thanks to junior Jose Valarezo. The Ecuadorian rallied from a set down in his second flight confrontation with Nicolas Bigler to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Rodrigues and Hunter Beal won their respective singles matches and the fourth and sixth flights, respectively, while Wingate's Louis Villarroel won 6-4, 6-1 over Guaycurus at No. 5 singles.

Both Tusculum and Wingate will prepare for next week's Food Lion South Atlantic Conference tournament. The women's first round matches will be played Monday, hosted by the higher-seeded teams. The men's first round contests will be played Tuesday, also hosted by the higher-seeded teams.

No. 35 Tusculum 7, Wingate 2

Singles
1 - Sergio Espinosa (TC) def. Mitchell Lvovsky 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
2 - Jose Valarezo (WIN) def. Nicolas Bigler 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
3 - Carlos Garcia (TC) def. Braeden Patchell 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
4 - Henrique Rodrigues (TC) def. Brendan Molan 6-2, 6-1
5 - Louis Villarroel (WIN) def. Leo Guaycurus 6-4, 6-1
6 - Hunter Beal (TC) def. Felipe Fidalgo 6-0, 6-2

Doubles
1 - Espinosa/Garcia (TC) def. Valarezo/Patchell 8-5
2 - Rodrigues/Guaycurus (TC) def. Molan/ Fidalgo 8-1
3 - Bigler/Beal (TC) def. Lvovsky/Villarroel 9-8