Vasques' Win Gives the 'Dogs a 4-3 Win over Longwood
March 11, 2007 | Men's Tennis
Boiling Springs, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb men's tennis team won their third straight match on Sunday afternoon, coming from behind to defeat the Longwood Lancers 4-3 in what was a very exciting match up.
The Bulldogs found themselves down early as the Lancers took an early 1-0 lead as they swept all three doubles bouts.
Longwood would increase their lead to 2-0 as GWU senior Kim Ellis fell at the No. 3 singles spot to Brandon Lindsley in straight sets 6-2, 6-1.
Yet fellow senior and co-captain Gabe Veiga put the 'Dogs on the board with his victory at the No. 4 spot, downing Billy Heird of LU in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.
Yet the Lancers would regain a two-point lead, 3-1 only moments later, as Mani Barajas-Alexander defeated the Bulldogs Taylor Ferrier 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 6 position.
Yet the 'Dogs pounced back as they took the next three singles matches to win 4-3 over the visiting Lancers.
Freshman Grant Van Rensburg continued his winning ways as he defeated Rashko Patnikov of Longwood in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 5 spot, while fellow classmate Evgeny Slesarev won his second straight match at the No. 1 slot, bouncing back from a 6-1 first set loss to take the next to sets 6-4, 6-4 and defeat David Cardoso of LU.
With the scored tied, senior Roberto Vasques battled Longwood's Carlos Garcia de Andoain, in what was arguably the best match of the day, to a third set tiebreaker. Vasques, who was fighing cramps throughout the match, had won the first set 7-5 and was looking to steal the second set, the match and the team match up all at once. The senior from Sau Paulo, Brazil did just that has he won the tiebreaker 7-4 to win the set 7-6 and the match 7-5, 7-6.
The win moves the Bulldogs to 4-8 on the year, while the loss drops Longwood to 4-3.
The Gardner-Webb men's team will look to pick up their first conference win of the season this Thursday afternoon, March 14, when they will face in A-Sun play against the Camels of Campbell. The match is scheduled to start at 2 pm.
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Gardner-Webb 4, Longwood 3
Doubles
1. Heird/ Lindsley (LU) def. Slesarev/ Veiga (GWU) - 8-6
2. Garcia de Andoain/ Cardoso (LU) def. Ellis/ Ferrier (GWU) - 8-5
3. Patnikov/ Barajas-Alexander (LU) def. Vasques/ Van Rensburg (GWU) - 8-3
Singles
1. Evgeny Slesarev (GWU) def. David Cardoso (LU) - 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
2. Roberto Vasques (GWU) def. Carlos Garcia de Andoain (LU) - 7-5, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Brandon Lindsley (LU) def. Kim Ellis (GWU) - 6-2, 6-1
4. Gabe Veiga (GWU) def. Billy Heird (LU) - 6-3, 6-2
5. Grant Van Rensburg (GWU) def. Rashko Patnikov (LU) - 6-5, 6-4
6. Mani Barajas-Alexander (LU) def. Taylor Ferrier (GWU) - 6-4, 6-3
