Men's Tennis defeats Ave Marie, but Falls to Fourth-Ranked Southeastern in Tight Contest

MACON, Ga. - The Cumberland men's tennis team kicked off their second day of action at Middle Georgia State, taking on (RV) Ave Maria and fourth-ranked Southeastern.

The first match of the day started off with the Phoenix well in charge, taking the doubles point from Ave Maria. Vitor Ferreira and Julian Parada continued to look for their chemistry at the number one doubles spot, going down 4-0 early, but charged back to make it a 6-3 defeat.

Dan Slapnik Trost and Adrijan Hrzic were dominant at No. 2, allowing the Gyrenes to hold serve just once, winning 6-1 in under thirty minutes. Elisey Kalashikov and Paul Daniel Meyer rounded things out in the final doubles spot, taking the doubles point for the Phoenix with a 6-2 victory.

Taking the first singles point for Cumberland, Adrijan Hrzic played the No. 2 singles spot and after a tiebreak victory in the first set, cemented his victory with a great display in the second set, winning 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. Two more Phoenix managed wins before the match was made final, due to playing the match to clinch.

At No. 4 singles Paul Daniel Meyer handled his opponent in just under an hour's time. Taking the first set 6-3, he routed his opponent in the second set 6-0, putting the Phoenix up 3-0. The final match that went Cumberland's way was at the last singles position, as Jackson Vaughn fought to a 6-4, 6-2 win.

At No. 1 singles, Vitor Ferreira dropped the only point of the day, losing a tight contest 6-3, 7-5. Julian Parada and Fernando Flores both did not get to finish their matches, conserving energy for the long weekend ahead.

The second match of the day was a battle between the 14th-ranked Phoenix and No. 4 Southeastern. The Phoenix gave everything they had in this match fighting for every match, but the Fire edged CU winning 4-2.

The doubles point went to the Fire, but not easily. Hrzic and Slapnik Trost lost at No. 2, 6-3. Meyer and Elisey Kalashnikov tied it at 1-1 winning in tiebreakers 7-6 (7-5). Another tiebreaking battle went on at No. 1, but Parada and Ferreira dropped the match 7-6 (8-6) giving an important point to Southeastern.

The Phoenix need four singles wins to get the victory over Southeastern and managed to get the first singles point as Parada won at No. 3 as his opposition retired with Parada leading 6-3, 4-1. Southeastern picked up the next point to take a 2-1 lead as German Suarez lost at No. 6, 6-1, 6-4.

The Fire followed that with a win at No. 2 as Hrzic lost to Diego Menendez Vina 6-4, 6-3 to expand their lead to 3-1.

Cumberland got a point back at No. 1 as Ferreira won a three set match over Bruno Pessoa 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to cut it to 3-2, but the Fire closed it out at No. 4 as Piero Fernandez bested Meyer 7-6, 3-6, 6-4. Slapnik Trost's match at No. 5 went unfinished.

The Phoenix are back with two more matches tomorrow. Cumberland opens the day against Point University and will finish against Reinhardt at 1:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Fernando Flores: 5' 4"; Junior

Adrijan Hrzic: 6' 1"; Senior

Julian Parada: 5' 10"; Junior

Dan Slapnik Trost: 5' 7"; Senior

German Suarez: 6' 0"; Senior

Vitor Ferreira: 5' 11"; Freshman

Elisey Kalashnikov: 6' 1"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Fernando Flores
: 5' 4"; Junior

Adrijan Hrzic
: 6' 1"; Senior

Julian Parada
: 5' 10"; Junior

Dan Slapnik Trost
: 5' 7"; Senior

German Suarez
: 6' 0"; Senior

Vitor Ferreira
: 5' 11"; Freshman

Elisey Kalashnikov
: 6' 1"; Sophomore