Wednesday, March 30, 2005

DOUBLES, LOWER PART OF LINE-UP PACES PIONEERS OVER LIONS

MARS HILL, N.C. --- The Tusculum College men’s tennis team swept all three doubles matches and won the lower part of singles as the Pioneers defeated host Mars Hill College 6-3 Wednesday at the Hart Tennis Complex.

Tusculum (8-4, 4-0 in South Atlantic Conference) got a big point at No. 2 doubles as Roberto Robles and Jesse Puckerin won 8-5 in pro sets.

Mars Hill won three thrillers in the top three singles flights, including John Allen’s 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (3) win at No. 3 singles over Pedro Galavis. But the Pioneers answered with straight set wins from Michael Hallford and Julien Jacob at the No. 5 and No. 6 flights, respectively. But the biggest win may have come from Carlos Garcia and he rallied from a set down to defeat MHC’s Joel Vanderhorst 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Tusculum returns to action Friday when it hosts Newberry College for a 4:15 p.m. South Atlantic Conference match.

- TC -

Tusculum 6, Mars Hill 3
Singles
1 – Diego Rodriguez (MHC) def. Roberto Robles	6-3, 4-6, 6-2
2 – Oscar Gomez (MHC) def. Sergio Espinosa	6-3, 7-6 (5)
3 – John Allen (MHC) def. Pedro Galavis	7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (3)
4 – Carlos Garcia (TC) def. Joel Vanderhorst	3-6, 6-3, 6-2
5 – Michael Hallford (TC) def. Ross DiLoreto	6-2, 6-2
6 – Julien Jacob (TC) def. Rom Teague	6-2, 6-2
Doubles
1 – Espinosa/Garcia (TC) def. Rodriguez/Allen	8-4
2 – Robles/Jesse Puckerin (TC) def. DiLoreto/Vanderhorst	8-5
3 – Galavis/Hallford (TC) def. Gomez/Teague	8-4
Record: Tusculum (8-4, 4-0 SAC); Mars Hill (6-6, 0-3 SAC)