No. 3 Blazer men’s tennis turns back No. 17 Mississippi College

Published 1:00 pm Monday, April 8, 2024

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The No. 3 Valdosta State men’s tennis team posted a 5-2 victory over No. 17 Mississippi College on Sunday.

The Blazers improved to 13-3 overall and 6-1 in Gulf South Conference play, while MC fell to 9-7 and 4-2 in league play.

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VSU got things started winning all three matches of doubles for the early 1-0 lead.

Seniors Luca Mack and Christian Wedel, ranked No. 35 nationally were put to the test by Rafael Sabio and Alax Blanchard, but the top Blazer duo came out with a 7-6 (7-4) victory, while juniors Takeshi Taco and Xaveam Van Wijk won 6-2 at No. 2 over Felipe Iser and Sergio Ocana, and No. 47 duo of junior Boruch Skierkier and sophomore Jan Skerbatis won 6-1 over Joe Jarvis and Alvaro Saint Martin.

At the top spot in singles, No. 6-ranked Blanchard won 7-5, 6-1 over No. 24 Mack, while Skierkier, ranked No. 21 nationally, won 6-0, 6-2 at the second spot over Sabio.

MC’s Saint Martin pulled the upset of No. 5 ranked Taco 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8) at the third spot.

The Blazers won Nos. 4-6 as Wedel downed Jarvis 6-4, 6-4 at No. 4, while freshman Jerome Iaconi Won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 5 over Ocana and Skerbatis needed three sets at No. 6 as he downed Antoine Nivault, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4).

The No. 35 Valdosta State women’s tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision on Sunday to No. 27 Mississippi College.

VSU now stands at 6-8 overall and 5-2 in Gulf South Conference play, while MC improved to 11-6 overall and 5-2 in league play.

In doubles, Blazer top duo of freshman Denisa Hanakova and junior Viktoriia Fedorova upset No. 22 tandem of Elyangelica Alas and Feranda Cota, 7-6 (7-3), but MC won at Nos 2 and 3 to claim the team point.

At No. 2 doubles, freshman duo of Natalie Rainke and Aneta Poborilova dropped a 7-6 (7-4) decision and Emma Roberts and Maria Rodriguez downed juniors Olivia Pezo and Kayla Greco 6-4.

In singles, Rainke won 6-4, 6-0 at No. 1 versus Alas for the only win.

Poborilova went three sets, falling in a tiebreaker with Cota at No. 3 singles 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), while Pezo lost 6-3, 4-6, 4-6 at No. 5 singles for the matches which went three sets.

Both Blazers teams return home to host Auburn Montgomery in key GSC matchups on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the VSU Tennis Complex.