Eagles Drop Close Match to Ospreys
2/28/2010 3:07:00 AM | Men's Tennis
STATESBORO, GA – Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos, Alain Garrido and Justin Flynn were all victorious in singles action, but the trio of Eagles could not lead Georgia Southern to victory, falling 4-3, to North Florida Saturday afternoon (Feb. 27). The match was decided on the final court of play as GS fell to 4-6 on the year, while UNF improved to 7-5.
North Florida used the doubles point to secure the overall match win as both teams split singles competition, 3-3. The Ospreys swept the three doubles courts for the early 1-0 lead, but it was short-lived heading into singles play.
The teams tossed the lead back-and-forth as sophomore Garrido (Vigo, Spain) took a 6-1, 7-6(2) match win over Leonardo Nahar at the five seed to even the match score at 1-all first in singles action. Osprey Hleb Maslau then pushed UNF back in front with a 6-3,6-2 win over Gregory Bekkers (Antwerp, Belgium) at the two seed, before freshman Melian Puigventos (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain) knotted the score at 2-all. The freshman Eagle uprooted Taylor Albrecht in straight sets, winning convincingly, 7-5, 6-4 at the two seed.
Mortiz Buerchner gave the Ospreys a 3-2 advantage defeating senior Jayraj Jadeja (London, England), 6-3, 7-6(3) at the top singles position. But fellow classmate Flynn (Dublin, Ireland), landlocked the match at 3-apiece with a come-from-behind win at No. 6 over Graham Edgar. Flynn captured the first set, 6-2, but succumbed in the second, 4-6, before sealing the win with a 7-5 final third set.
With Flynn's win at No. 6 tying the score 3-3, the match was drawn to the final two competitors at No. 4 where Daniel Sotomarino and Matthijs Verdam (Hilversum, The Netherlands) were battling in three sets. Sotomarino dropped the opening set, 7-5, but reversed play to capture the next two sets, 6-3, 6-2, and clinch the match for North Florida, 4-3.
"I am very proud of the team today for showing lots of fight and heart on the court,” said head coach Justin Miles. “It was a very close match that could have gone either way. A better start in doubles for us might have changed the overall outcome of the match."
Georgia Southern will look to rebound from this tough loss opening Southern Conference play at Elon, Saturday, March 6. First serve in Elon is slated for 12 p.m.
North Florida 4, Georgia Southern 3
Records: UNF 7-5, GSU 4-6
Doubles:
1. Mortiz Buerchner/Taylor Albrecht (UNF) d. Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos/Gregory Bekkers (GSU) 8-7(6)
2. Daniel Sotomarino/Hleb Maslau (UNF) d. Jayraj Jadeja/Justin Flynn (GSU) 8-4*
3. Kurt Gattiker/Leonardo Nahar (UNF) d. Alain Garrido/Matthijs Verdam (GSU) 8-5
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
*Clinched the doubles point
Singles:
1. Mortiz Buerchner (UNF) d. Jayraj Jadeja (GSU) 6-3, 7-6(3)
2. Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos (GSU) d. Taylor Albrecht (UNF) 7-5, 6-4
3. Hleb Maslau (UNF) d. Gregory Bekkers (GSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Daniel Sotomarino (UNF) d. Matthijs Verdam (GSU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2*
5. Alain Garrido (GSU) d. Leonardo Nahar (UNF) 6-1, 7-6(2)
6. Justin Flynn (GSU) d. Graham Edgar (UNF) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Order of finish: 5, 3, 2, 1, 6, 4
*Clinched the match
North Florida used the doubles point to secure the overall match win as both teams split singles competition, 3-3. The Ospreys swept the three doubles courts for the early 1-0 lead, but it was short-lived heading into singles play.
The teams tossed the lead back-and-forth as sophomore Garrido (Vigo, Spain) took a 6-1, 7-6(2) match win over Leonardo Nahar at the five seed to even the match score at 1-all first in singles action. Osprey Hleb Maslau then pushed UNF back in front with a 6-3,6-2 win over Gregory Bekkers (Antwerp, Belgium) at the two seed, before freshman Melian Puigventos (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain) knotted the score at 2-all. The freshman Eagle uprooted Taylor Albrecht in straight sets, winning convincingly, 7-5, 6-4 at the two seed.
Mortiz Buerchner gave the Ospreys a 3-2 advantage defeating senior Jayraj Jadeja (London, England), 6-3, 7-6(3) at the top singles position. But fellow classmate Flynn (Dublin, Ireland), landlocked the match at 3-apiece with a come-from-behind win at No. 6 over Graham Edgar. Flynn captured the first set, 6-2, but succumbed in the second, 4-6, before sealing the win with a 7-5 final third set.
With Flynn's win at No. 6 tying the score 3-3, the match was drawn to the final two competitors at No. 4 where Daniel Sotomarino and Matthijs Verdam (Hilversum, The Netherlands) were battling in three sets. Sotomarino dropped the opening set, 7-5, but reversed play to capture the next two sets, 6-3, 6-2, and clinch the match for North Florida, 4-3.
"I am very proud of the team today for showing lots of fight and heart on the court,” said head coach Justin Miles. “It was a very close match that could have gone either way. A better start in doubles for us might have changed the overall outcome of the match."
Georgia Southern will look to rebound from this tough loss opening Southern Conference play at Elon, Saturday, March 6. First serve in Elon is slated for 12 p.m.
North Florida 4, Georgia Southern 3
Records: UNF 7-5, GSU 4-6
Doubles:
1. Mortiz Buerchner/Taylor Albrecht (UNF) d. Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos/Gregory Bekkers (GSU) 8-7(6)
2. Daniel Sotomarino/Hleb Maslau (UNF) d. Jayraj Jadeja/Justin Flynn (GSU) 8-4*
3. Kurt Gattiker/Leonardo Nahar (UNF) d. Alain Garrido/Matthijs Verdam (GSU) 8-5
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
*Clinched the doubles point
Singles:
1. Mortiz Buerchner (UNF) d. Jayraj Jadeja (GSU) 6-3, 7-6(3)
2. Juan Manuel Melian Puigventos (GSU) d. Taylor Albrecht (UNF) 7-5, 6-4
3. Hleb Maslau (UNF) d. Gregory Bekkers (GSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Daniel Sotomarino (UNF) d. Matthijs Verdam (GSU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2*
5. Alain Garrido (GSU) d. Leonardo Nahar (UNF) 6-1, 7-6(2)
6. Justin Flynn (GSU) d. Graham Edgar (UNF) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Order of finish: 5, 3, 2, 1, 6, 4
*Clinched the match
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability (3/3/26)
Tuesday, March 03
The GATA Zone - Women's Basketball Post Season
Tuesday, March 03
2026 Only For Southern
Thursday, February 26
2026 Georgia Southern Football Ticket Video
Wednesday, February 25
