WILMINGTON, N.C. – Victor Putter won the championship in the D2 singles bracket as the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs men's tennis team began its fall season at the Southern Exposure Sunrooms UNCW Fall Invitational this weekend.

"Our preparation for this weekend really showed during the matches," said former player turned assistant coach Johan Fors. "Freshman Victor Putter had a really good tournament and won his bracket. Sophomore standout Sebastian Harris reached the finals of his bracket after an impressive showing. The fitness of our guys was impressive and something that will benefit us going into next weekend."

Putter, the fourth seed in the D2 singles bracket earned a 6-3, 6-1 win over Ed Concolough and upset top-seeded Alberto Conde from Presbyterian, 6-1, 7-6(3). He won the championship with a three-set win over UNCW's Griffin Babineaux, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

In singles action, Connor Enslin, one of two freshman on the team this fall fell in three matches but showed flashes of brilliance and remained competitive in each of his contests.

Breno Plentz competed in the same bracket as Enslin and won his first round match against Georgia Gwinnett's Valentino Caratini, 6-7, 2-4 (retired). He fell to North Florida's Jorge Nunez and UNC Ashville's Charlie Morkel, 6-2, 6-3.

In Flight C singles, Ross Gilbert won a three-set match against Daniel Stenger of Presbyterian, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. He fell to UNCW Leo Spirviero and lost in the consolation bracket in three sets to Coastal Carolina to end his time at the tournament.

In the D1 singles bracket, Sebastian Harris cruised to the championship. The sophomore began his second year as a Runnin' Bulldog with a come-from-behind win, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2. He advanced to the championship with a 6-4, 6-4 defeated of Presbyterian's Jaime Castillo and finished as the runner-up when UNCW's Michael Murphy defeated him in the finals, 6-2, 6-4.

Stefano Puga was seeded second overall in the D2 singles bracket, and Jacob Wall also competed in the same bracket. Wall battled hard for three matches and after falling in his first match, Puga made it the consolation finals. He defeated UNCA's James Massie (6-2, 6-1) but fell to Asheville's Ed Concolough in the finals of the consolation bracket.

In doubles play, Plentz and Enslin teamed up and fell in a pair of tightly contested matches, losing 7-6 (3) to UNCW and Presbyterian (6-3).

Gilbert teamed up with Putter and earned a 7-5 victory over Presbyterian before falling to UNCW. In the consolation bracket, the duo earned a 6-4 win over another duo from the host school.

Harris and Puga played in Flight D and went 2-1. They began the weekend by falling to a duo from Big South opponent Presbyterian but rebounded to defeat a split team from Coastal Carolina and Campbell, 7-5 before cruising to a 6-2 victory over Massie and McFayden from UNCW.
 
The 'Dogs will return to action next weekend at the James Bonk Invitational on the campus of Duke University.