Eagles Post Fourth-Straight Victory with 4-3 Liberty Win
3/17/2011 11:49:00 PM | Men's Tennis
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Men's Tennis (8-5) pulled out the 4-3 victory over Liberty (7-7) on Thursday, March 17th, at the Hanner Tennis Complex. The win was the fourth-straight for the Eagles, marking the longest win streak since a six-match skein in 2000.
"We didn't take advantage of the opportunities we were given in doubles and we let Liberty take control," said Eagle Men's Tennis Coach Nick Zieziula. "Before the singles matches I told the team that we needed to raise our level. It wasn't a question of if we could do it, it was just if we would hold ourselves to a higher standard and raise the level in all six singles matches. We did just that and we were able to come up with the four points we needed."
Georgia Southern fell behind 0-1 after doubles play, but sophomore Juan Melian Puigventos (Las Palmas De Las Gran Canaria, Spain) evened the score at 1-1 with his win at number-one singles. Puigventos extended his singles match win streak to six and upped his season record to 12-1 with the victory over Siim Tuus. Eagle senior Mark Paetz (Munich, Germany) tied the score again at 2-2 with his 7-6, 6-2 defeat of Stanislav Vaughan at number-six singles.
A straight-set win over Liberty's Tristan Stayt by junior Alain Garrido (Vigo, Spain) put the Eagles up 3-2. Sophomore Matthijs Verdam (Hilversum, the Netherlands) clinched the team match win in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, over the Flames' number-two singles player Shea Thomas. Verdam, who also extended his win streak to six matches, reached the 10-win mark for 2011 and now has a 5-0 record at No. 2 singles.
Liberty won the doubles point behind Giancarlo Lemmi and Shea Thomas, who took the first doubles win, 8-3, over Edio Castanhel and Puigventos at the number-two spot. Tuus and Benjamin Wirth secured the team point with their 8-4 win over Garrido and Marco Osorio (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) at number-one doubles.
The final match in the Eagles' six-game homestand is set for Saturday, March 19th, at 11 a.m. against Southern Conference opponent Wofford. Junior Eagle Day will be celebrated for both the Men's and Women's Tennis matches on Saturday at the Hanner Tennis Complex. Georgia Southern's mascot, GUS, will make an appearance at the matches and Subway will provide free sandwiches to the first 50 fans at each match.
For more information on Georgia Southern Men's Tennis, follow the Eagles at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/mtennis or receive short updates at twitter.com/GSAthletics or facebook.com/GSAthletics.
Georgia Southern 4, Liberty 3
March 17, 2011 at Statesboro, Ga. (Hanner Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. J. Melian Puigventos (GSU) def. Siim Tuus (Liberty) 6-0, 2-0, retired
2. Matthijs Verdam (GSU) def. Shea Thomas (Liberty) 6-3, 6-2
3. Alain Garrido (GSU) def. Tristan Stayt (Liberty) 6-4, 6-4
4. Giancarlo Lemmi (Liberty) def. Sebastien Felt (GSU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Mandeep Yadev (Liberty) def. Edio Castanhel (GSU) 6-3, 7-6
6. Mark Paetz (GSU) def. Stanislav Vaughan (Liberty) 7-6, 6-2
Order of finish: 1,4,6,3,2,5
Doubles competition
1. Siim Tuus / Benjamin Wirth (Liberty) def. Alain Garrido/Marco Osorio (GSU) 8-4
2. Giancarlo Lemmi / Shea Thomas (Liberty) def. Edio Castanhel/J. Melian Puigventos (GSU) 8-3
3. Tristan Stayt / Mandeep Yadev (Liberty) def. Sebastien Felt/Matthijs Verdam (GSU) 8-3
Order of finish: Doubles 2,1,3
