WILMINGTON, N.C. – The 46th-ranked Elon University men’s tennis team dropped its second straight match Monday, Feb. 24, to the No. 54 UNC Wilmington Seahawks by a score of 7-0.
Though Cameron Silverman and Jordan Kaufman battled in a tightly contested doubles match on court No. 1 to start the match, the Phoenix dropped matches on the other two courts to lose the doubles point.
Robert Lindgren and Brian Kowalsk were first off the courts after a 8-5 loss to Pedro Mol and Kaue Pereira. They were followed shortly after by Stefan Fortmann and Dan Sablik, who were swept by Santtu Leskinen and Zach Hublitz on court No. 3, 8-0.
The Seahawks didn’t back off the gas pedal in singles, as Rafael Aita, ranked No. 120 in the country, gave UNC Wilmington a 2-0 lead by beating No. 27 Silverman on court No. 1, 6-2, 6-1.
After Kaufman fell on court No. 5 to Pereira 6-2, 6-4, the Seahawks clinched the match with Sam Williams beating Lindgren on court No. 2, 6-3, 6-1.
Though the match was clinched for UNC Wilmington, Fortmann and Kowalski battled to tiebreakers after splitting the first two sets on court No. 3 and 4, respectively. Fortmann dropped the first set 6-2 before coming back to win the second set 7-6. He dropped the tiebreaker 10-7.
Kowalski, on the other hand, won his first set in a tiebreaker before being swept in the second set. Leskinen finished off the sweep, though, by beating Kowalski 11-9 in the third set tiebreaker.
Elon returns to the courts Friday, Feb. 28, to take on Brown in Greensboro at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center at 2:30 p.m. before opening Southern Conference play the following day, March 1, at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center against Chattanooga at 12 p.m.
Results
No. 54 UNC Wilmington 7, No. 46 Elon 0
Doubles
1. Cameron Silverman/Jordan Kaufman (ELON) vs. Rafael Aita/Sam Williams (UNCW), 5-5 (unfinished)
2. Pedro Mol/Kaue Pereira (UNCW) def. Robert Lindgren/Brian Kowalski (ELON), 8-5
3. Santtu Leskinen/Zach Hublitz (UNCW) def. Stefan Fortmann/Dan Sablik (ELON), 8-0
Singles
1. No. 120 Rafael Aita (UNCW) def. No. 27 Cameron Silverman (ELON), 6-2, 6-2
2. Sam Williams (UNCW) def. Robert Lindgren (ELON), 6-3, 6-1
3. Pedro Mol (UNCW) def. Stefan Fortmann (ELON), 6-2, 6-7, 1-0
4. Santtu Leskinen (UNCW) def. Brian Kowalski (ELON), 6-7, 6-0, 1-0
5. Kaue Pereira (UNCW) def. Jordan Kaufman (ELON), 6-2, 6-4
6. Zach Hublitz (UNCW) def. Ismael Sanchez Delfin (ELON), 6-4, 6-3