Men's Tennis Blanks SoCon Foe The Citadel, 7-0

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's tennis team remained undefeated after sweeping The Citadel, 7-0, Saturday night at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center. The Spartans are now 5-0, 1-0 in the Southern Conference, while the Bulldogs fall to 5-2, 0-1 in the SoCon. 

UNCG won a tight doubles point by winning all three doubles matches to take a 1-0 lead in the match.  

At No. 2 doubles, freshman Daniel Mack (Lakeland, Fla./Lakeland) and junior Ahmet Sarioglu(Ankara, Turkey/METU Development Foundation) made quick work of Peter Bleach and Dillon Berkabile, 8-3. 

Sophomore Cameron Smith (Jamestown, N.C./Ragsdale) and freshman Gaston Murray (Lake Worth, Fla./Park Vista) clinched the point with a tough, 9-8 (7-3), tiebreaker victory against Alex Howie and Elliot Sperr at No. 3 doubles. 

The final doubles match saw freshman James Dougherty (Melbourne, Australia) and sophomore Randy Phillips(Snellville, Ga./Brookwood) rally from a 7-1 deficit to tie the match at 7-7. In the tiebreaker, Dougherty and Phillips used that momentum to take down Oliver Dedding and David Orces 7-3 to win the match 8-7 at No. 1 doubles.  

In singles play, the Spartans continued their solid play as Dougherty took down Berkabile, 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. 

Sarioglu won in straight sets against Orces, who was previously 4-1 at No. 1 singles, 6-2, 6-4. Murray won easily at No. 3 singles against Bleach, 6-4, 6-0. 

Smith defeated Sperr, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 6 singles, while Phillips won in straight sets against JC Pauli, 6-2, 6-3. 

Mack gave UNCG a perfect sweep by taking down James Atkinson, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 5 singles. 

The Spartans return to action against Gardner Webb March 5 at 2 p.m.

UNCG 7, The Citadel 0

(Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center)

Singles competition

1. Ahmet Sarioglu (UNCG) def. David Orces (CIT) 6-2, 6-4

2. James Dougherty (UNCG) def. Dillon Berkabile (CIT) 6-0, 6-2

3. Gaston Murray (UNCG) def. Peter Bleach (CIT) 6-4, 6-0

4. Randy Phillips (UNCG) def. JC Pauli (CIT) 6-2, 6-3

5. Daniel Mack (UNCG) def. James Atkinson (CIT) 6-2, 6-3

6. Cameron Smith (UNCG) def. Elliott Sperr (CIT) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. James Dougherty/Randy Phillips (UNCG) def. Oliver Dedding/David Orces (CIT) 8-7 (7-3)

2. Daniel Mack/Ahmet Sarioglu (UNCG) def. Peter Bleach/Dillon Berkabile (CIT) 8-3

3. Cameron Smith/Gaston Murray (UNCG) def. Alex Howie/Elliott Sperr (CIT) 9-8 (7-3)

Match Notes:

The Citadel 5-2, 0-1 SoCon

UNCG 5-0, 1-0 SoCon