Wednesday, March 29, 2006

TUSCULUM MEN' TENNIS BEAT MARS HILL 8-1

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum College's Sergio Espinosa rallied from a set down to defeat John Allen of Mars Hill College 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 at No. 2 singles as the No. 37 Pioneers defeated the Lions 8-1 Wednesday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference men's tennis action at the Nichols Tennis Complex.

Tusculum (10-4, 3-0 SAC) wins its fifth match in a row, while Mars Hill falls to 4-7 overall, 0-2 in league play.

The Pioneers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after doubles play, including an 8-1 pro set win at the No. 2 flight by Antonio Oliver and Leo Guaycurus over the MHC pairing of Marco Castaneda and Andrew Waldrop.

In singles action, the Pioneers won five of the six matches, including Oliver's 6-3, 7-5 win over Oscar Gomez at the No. 3 flight. Oliver is the reigning SAC Player of the Week.

Mars Hill's lone point came at No. 1 singles as Diego Rodriguez outlasted Tusculum's Pedro Galavis 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in a three-set marathon.

Tusculum will travel to Newberry College on Saturday for a 1 p.m. contest. Mars Hill is at Catawba College on Saturday for a 1 p.m. SAC match.

- TC -

No. 37 Tusculum 8, Mars Hill 1
Singles
1 - Diego Rodriguez (MHC) def. Pedro Galavis	6-4, 2-6, 6-1
2 - Sergio Espinosa (TC) def. John Allen	6-7, 7-5, 7-6
3 - Antonio Oliver (TC) def. Oscar Gomez	6-3, 7-5
4 - Carlos Garcia (TC) def. Marco Castaneda	6-1, 6-1
5 - Julien Jacob (TC) def. Andrew Waldrop	6-1, 6-0
6 - Nic Janssen (TC) def. Drew Belton	6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1 - Garcia/Espinosa (TC) def. Rodriguez/Allen	8-4
2 - Oliver/Leo Guaycurus (TC) def. Castaneda/Waldrop	8-1
3 - Galavis/Jacob (TC) def. Gomez/Bobby Roddy	8-6