ELON, N.C. – The Elon men’s tennis team got back on the winning track on Saturday afternoon, recording a 7-0 shutout against the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs at The Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. Elon (2-4) came up big in doubles action, using two 9-7 victories to clinch the team point before sweeping the singles matches.
“The doubles point was big as we were in down in all three matches,” said Elon head coach Michael Leonard. “Andrew (Prince), Jordan (Kaufman) and Chris (Geaslen) all stepped up at big moments and really set the tone.”
After Gardner-Webb (2-4) took an 8-4 decision at number two doubles, Elon’s Prince and Geaslen battled back from a 6-3 deficit to earn a 9-7 victory over Stephen Martin and Joao Poli on court three. At number one, Kaufman and sophomore Cameron Silverman were down 7-6 before winning three straight games to defeat Korhan Ates and Adam Knutsson-Sundblad and clinch the doubles point for the Phoenix.
In singles, Silverman was first off the court with a 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Ates at number one. Prince put Elon ahead, 3-0, and dropped only three games in a 6-3, 6-0 win against Poli at number six. Kaufman provided the match-clinching win when he defeated Roman Piftor, 6-3, 6-1, on court four.
Stefan Fortmann picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win against Knutsson-Sundblad at number two and Juan Madrid used a third-set tiebreaker to earn the 6-1, 1-6, 1-0 (7) victory against Alberch on court three. Carlos Arboleda finished the shutout with a straight-set win over Brendan Dempsey at number five.
With inclement weather in the forecast, Elon has rescheduled its match at Radford originally scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The Phoenix and Highlanders will meet on Tuesday, February 21 at 2:30 p.m.