ELON, N.C. – Chris Humphreys battled back from a second-set deficit and the Elon University men’s tennis team earned a 4-3 victory over the VCU Rams on Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
“I’m very proud of our team for a hard-fought win against a great VCU team,” said head coach Michael Leonard. “I’m very proud of the weekend we had winning two tight 4-3 matches with such a young team. It was great to see Humphreys come through for us. He has worked really hard over the last two years to put himself in that situation.”
Humphreys trailed 5-4 in his second set at No. 5 singles with the match tied 3-3 and rallied to win the set 7-5 to clinch the victory for Elon. The Phoenix improves to 6-3 overall with its fourth consecutive win, as they defeated a good team in the Rams who fell to 10-3 overall with the loss.
Highlights
VCU took the early 1-0 lead in the match winning the doubles point. Vitor Lima and Daryl Monfils earned a 6-3 victory at No.1, but Elon tied up the doubles point as Humphreys and Petar Tomic won 6-3 at the No. 2 position. Michal Voscek and Catalin Fifea clinched to point for the Rams with a 6-4 win on the third court.
Felipe Sarrasague got Elon on the board cruising to a 6-0, 6-3 victory at No. 2 singles and Charlie Sullivan put the Phoenix into the lead with a 6-1, 6-3 win at sixth singles.
Lima tied up the match with a 6-4, 6-2 victory at No. 4 singles, but Mario Paccini has Elon’s answer with a 6-3, 6-4 tally on the top court to give the Phoenix a 3-2 lead. Monfils had to grind out a victory against Rob Lindgren at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), and it set up Humphreys for a chance to clinch the match with the match tied 3-3.
Humphreys trailed 4-5 in the final set and rallied back to defeat Arvid Noren 6-3, 7-5 to secure Elon’s 4-3 victory against VCU.
Notes
– The victory was the fourth straight win for the Phoenix. Elon has lost three matches this season, all against ranked opponents.
– Humphreys clinched a match for the Phoenix for the second time this season. He also clinched a 5-1 victory for Elon against USC Upstate on Feb. 13.
Up Next
Elon heads to Greensboro, N.C. on Wednesday, March 2, against North Carolina A&T for an 3 p.m.
Tennis Match Results
VCU vs Elon
Feb 28, 2016 at Elon, N.C.
(Jimmy Powell Tennis Center)
Elon 4, VCU 3
Singles competition
1. Mario Paccini (ELON) def. Michal Voscek (VCU) 6-3, 6-4
2. Felipe Sarrasague (ELON) def. Catalin Fifea (VCU) 6-0, 6-3
3. Daryl Monfils (VCU) def. Robert Lindgren (ELON) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Vitor Lima (VCU) def. Salvador Mijares (ELON) 6-4, 6-2
5. Chris Humphreys (ELON) def. Arvid Noren (VCU) 6-3, 7-5
6. Charlie Sullivan (ELON) def. Philip Mobius (VCU) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Vitor Lima/Daryl Monfils (VCU) def. Salvador Mijares/Mario Paccini (ELON) 6-3
2. Chris Humphreys/Petar Tomic (ELON) def. Philip Mobius/Arvid Noren (VCU) 6-3
3. Michal Voscek/Catalin Fifea (VCU) def. Robert Lindgren/Taylor Foote (ELON) 6-4
Match Notes:
VCU 10-3
Elon 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,6,4,1,3,5)
T-2:31
A-47