Bulldogs Send Highlanders Packing, Dropping UC Riverside 4-3
March 31, 2007 | Men's Tennis
Boiling Springs, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb men's tennis team got back on the winning track on Saturday afternoon as they held on to defeat the UC Riverside Highlanders 4-3 at the Webb Tennis Complex.
The win improves the 'Dogs to 9-11 on the season, pushing them one win closer to the double-digit win mark. The loss drops the Highlander of UC Riverside to 9-8 on the season.
In doubles play, the Bulldogs picked up wins at both the No. 2 and No. 3 slots to earn the doubles point and an early 1-0 lead. Senior Roberto Vasques teamed up with freshman Grant Van Rensburg to defeat UC Riverside's Jordan Peana and Bobby Tam 8-6 at No. 2, while the freshman duo of Evgeny Slesarev and Rafael Altmeyer dropped the Highlanders' Pedraum Rouhafza and Jack Tadevosian 8-4 at No. 3.
However, the 'Dogs would find themsevles behind 3-1 after the conclusion of the first three singles bouts as GWU's Altmeyer fell at the No. 4 spot, 6-0, 6-1, junior Taylor Ferrier lost 6-4, 6-0 at No. 6, and Van Rensburg lost in a tough match 7-5, 6-1 at No. 5.
Yet the 'Dogs persavered and did not roll over, as they would win the remaining three singles contests to take the overall match 4-3.
Vasques led off the late charge as he defeated Joe Cartledge of UC Riverside in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 2 position to push the score to 3-2.
At the No. 3 spot, fellow senior Kim Ellis battled back from a tough second set loss 6-7 (7-4), to win the third set 7-5, ultimatley scoring a victory over Gorjan Kovacevic of the Highlander's 6-3, 6-7 (7-4), 7-5 and knotting the team score up at 3-3.
Freshman sensation Evgeny Slesarev did not disappoint, as he like Ellis, boucned back from a 5-7 second set loss to Mark Contreras of UCR, to win the third set 6-4 at the No. 1 singles position. Slesarev won the match 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 and gave the Bulldogs the 4-3 victory over the visting Highlanders.
The Bulldogs will wrap up their Atlantic Sun conference play tomorrow, April 1, at 12:30 p.m. when they will play host to the Stetson Hatters at the Webb Tennis Complex. The match is also the home finale for the 'Dogs and their four seniors - Kim Ellis, Eric Proctor, Roberto Vasques and Gabe Veiga.
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Gardner-Webb 4, UC Riverside 3
Doubles
1. Cartledge/ Contreras (UCR) def. Ellis/ Ferrier (GWU) - 8-4
2. Vasques/ Van Rensburg (GWU) def. Peana/ Tam (UCR) - 8-6
3. Slesarev/ Altmeyer (GWU) def. Rouhafza/ Tadevosian (UCR) - 8-4
Singles
1. Evgeny Slesarev (GWU) def. Mark Contreras (UCR) - 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
2. Roberto Vasques (GWU) def. Joe Cartledge (UCR) - 6-4, 6-3
3. Kim Ellis (GWU) def. Gorjan Kovacevic (UCR) - 6-3, 6-7 (7-4), 7-5
4. Bobby Tam (UCR) def. Rafael Altmeyer (GWU) - 6-0, 6-1
5. Jack Tadevosian (UCR) def. Grant Van Rensburg (GWU) 7-5, 6-1
6. Jordan Peana (UCR) def. Taylor Ferrier (GWU) - 6-4, 6-0
