MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. (March 24) – In its second match of the week, the University of Mount Olive men's tennis program defeated Converse by a  6-1 margin on Friday afternoon at John Neal Walker Tennis Center.

With the win, UMO improves to 2-1 in conference play after defeating Chowan earlier this week and holds an 8-5 overall record this season. Meanwhile, the Valkyries of Converse drop to 1-2 in league action and 3-10 this year.

The Trojans started strong earning the doubles point by sweeping all three sessions. In the first slot, junior Guilherme Zotin de Oliveira and freshman Daniel Hammond fought down Merlin Bellet and Enzo Marcheschi with a score of 7-6 (7-3). In second doubles, juniors Adam Ibrahim and Diego Ortega Cadahia captured a 6-1 win over Leopold Morel and Marty Letessier, before sophomore Elios Briand and freshman Bram Poel defeated Gregoir Legrand and Paul Berrouet by a 6-3 margin.

In singles play, UMO registered five successful matches. In the first position, de Oliveira overcame Bellet in three sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, before Ibrahim benefited from the retirement of his opponent Legrand with the score at 6-4, 4-3 in second singles. In the third slot, senior Israel Rodriguez Rojas was leading 7-6 (7-5), 1-3, when his opponent Marcheschi was also forced to retire due to an injury. In No. 4 singles, freshman Kabir Chhabria gave Berrouet no chance with a 6-0, 6-1 victory, before Poel followed suit winning 6-1, 6-3 against Morel. Finally, in the sixth spot, freshman Oliver Winterhagen suffered a three-set loss versus Letessier by a score of 2-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-4).

The Trojans will face Belmont Abbey tomorrow, Saturday, March 25, at 11 a.m. at John Neal Walker Tennis Center.