NEWBERRY — After dropping the doubles point to start off the match, the No. 43 Newberry College men’s tennis team (9-6, 3-3 South Atlantic Conference) defeated the Catawba Indians (4-9, 2-5 SAC), taking the match 4-3.
After sophomores Mateo Bivol (Bordeaux, France) and Laurenz Grabia (Altdorf, Germany) won on court one 6-4, the Wolves fell on courts two and three by identical 2-6 scores as Catawba secured the doubles point.
The Indians secured another point as sophomore Tal Cohen (Sydney, Australia) fell in two sets on court six: 2-6, 3-6. But junior Enzo Blavignat (Bordeaux, France) claimed the first point of the match for the Wolves with a three-set victory on court four: 6-2, 6-7, 6-2. Senior Marchel Schomburg (Bingen, Germany) evened the match with a victory on court two: 5-7, 6-3, 7-5. With the odd-numbered Wolves taking the court, Newberry needed to take two-of-three to secure the match.
Bivol made that much easier for the Wolves on courts three and five, as the sophomore coasted to a 6-2, 6-1 victory on court one. After freshman Lucas Mruk (Sugar Hill, Ga.) fell in three sets on court five, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, the match came down to sophomore Joshua Fritz on court three. Fritz fell in his first set 6-7, but came back to win the next two sets, 6-3, 7-6, and the match for the Wolves.
“One of the best matches ever played at the Newberry tennis courts. Our guys and girls competed really well,” said Head Coach Elias Fernandez. “Hats off for everyone. The environment was amazing. Catawba is a really strong program now and coach Mic is doing a great job.”
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