Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Belmont, N.C.---- The Gardner-Webb men's tennis team continued its impressive start to the 2024 season.

The 'Runnin Bulldogs traveled to the Reidy Tennis Center on Saturday and dominated host Belmont Abbey in a pair of matches against the preseason favorite in the Conference Carolinas.

Gardner-Webb, which improves to 5-0 on the season, took the opening match against the Crusaders 6-1, then followed that with a 7-0 whitewashing in the nightcap.

In the double's competition of the opening match, Gardner-Webb took the double's point 2-1.

Belmont Abbey opened with a 6-3 victory as the Crusader No.1 doubles tandem of Chase Martin and Jackson Korta bested the 'Dawgs duo of Cathal Butler and Alex Lepine.

Gardner-Webb rallied in No.2 doubles as Kim Niethammer and John Spring won 6-2, followed by Graham Bourne and Johannes Van Wyk prevailing in No.3 doubles 6-4.

In the singles competition, the 'Runnin Bulldogs dominated as they won five of the six matches to secure the opening match victory.

Eduardo Dias took the No.1 singles match (6-2, 6-2) over Nicholas Cary.

After Lepine dropped the singles No.2 match 6-7, 6-3, 10-12, Numa Lemieux-Monette continued the 'Dawgs early-season dominance in singles competition by taking the No.3 spot 6-2, 6-0.

The opening match clincher was secured in the No.4 singles spot as Kim Niethammer prevailed in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 10-5.

At singles No.5, Spring won 6-4, 7-6 for the 'Dawgs while Chrisjan Van Wyk took the No.6 singles spot 6-4, 6-3.

In the nightcap, it was shear-dominance by Gardner-Webb as the 'Runnin Bulldogs swept the board.

Gardner-Webb's No.1 doubles tandem of Dias and Lemieux-Monette began the match with a 6-3 win.

Bourne and Johannes Van Wyk captured the No.2 doubles spot 6-1 while Butler and Chrisjan Van Wyk easily took the No.3 doubles 6-0 as the 'Dawgs swept the doubles team point.
In the singles competition, Dias continued to his early-season mastery in the No.1 spot, winning 6-1, 6-2.

Lepine was victorious in the No.2 singles (6-1, 6-4) spot followed by Lemieux-Monette (6-2, 6-1) at singles No.3.

Rounding out the Gardner-Webb singles sweep was Niethammer (6-2, 6-0) at singles No.4, Spring (7-6, 7-6) at the No.5 slot and Johannes Van Wyk (7-6, 6-2) closed things out in the No.6 spot.

"It was two good wins for us against a very solid and deep Belmont Abbey team," said Gardner-Webb head tennis coach Mike Griffith.  "We are playing well and looking forward to playing at Furman (next) Friday. We hope to continue our winning ways."

Up Next — Gardner-Webb will travel to Greenville, S.C. next Friday (2/9) afternoon to face off against host Furman at 3PM. The 'Runnin Bulldogs will then meet Xavier at Furman on Saturday (2/10) at 1PM.