STOCKTON, Calif. ? The Georgia Southern men's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision against University of the Pacific on Monday afternoon, as the Eagles opened match-play at the Hal Nelson Tennis Courts in Stockton.
Pacific earned the doubles point taking two of three matches from GSU. Georgia Southern's junior tandem of Matthew Sands
and
Joris De Weerdt defeated Pacific's Renan Delsin and Pedro Toledo by a final of 8-3.
In singles action, freshman Mark Paetz downed Toledo in straight sets 6-4, 6-0. The Eagles (6-7, 2-2 SoCon) made the Tigers work for every match as Pacific claimed four of their five singles victories in three sets. Senior Emmanuel Nkoueleue fell at the No. 1 seed 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 to Pacific's Moritz Starke, while Borja Malet was defeated at the No. 3 position 6-4, 6-7(1), 6-1 by Artem Gramma.
"It was a really close match that could have been different if we would have won the doubles point,” said GSU coach Justin Miles. “I am not happy with how we played in singles and losing four matches in three sets. We need to be better mentally in these situations and stay tough mentally."
Georgia Southern resumes play in California on Wednesday, March 19, when they travel to Moraga to face St. Mary's. The match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
Doubles:
- Moritz Starke/Artem Gramma (PAC) def. Nkoeleue/Malet (GSU), 8-6
- David Gonzalez/Vegerd Veskimagi (PAC) def. Prins/Belckers (GSU), 8
- Sands/De Weerdt (GSU) def. Renan Delsin/Pedro Toledo (PAC), 8-3
Singles:
- Moritz Starke (PAC) def. Emmanuel Nkoueleue (GSU), 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
- David Gonzalez (PAC) def. Joris De Weerdt (GSU), 6-4, 6-2
- Artem Gramma (PAC) def. Borja Malet (GSU), 6-4, 6-7(1), 6-1
- Renan Delsin (PAC) def. Gregory Bekkers (GSU), 6-0, 2-6, 7-5
- Vegerd Veskimagi (PAC) def. Matthew Sands (GSU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
- Mark Paetz (GSU) def. Pedro Toledo (PAC), 6-4, 6-0
