FLORENCE, S.C. (April 21) – The No. 6 seeded Trojans registered two victories on the opening day of the Conference Carolinas Championship on Friday to advance to the semifinals, posting a 4-3 win against Converse in the first round before defeating Barton by a 4-1 margin in the quarterfinals.
With the wins, the University of Mount Olive men's tennis team improves to 12-9 overall and makes a fourth straight trip to the semifinals of the league tournament. The Trojans will compete in the Conference Carolinas Championship tomorrow, Saturday, April 22 against No. 2 Belmont Abbey, starting at 10 a.m.
In the first round versus Converse, UMO claimed the double point after winning two of three matches during the session. Junior Guiherme Zotin de Oliveira and freshman
Daniel Hammond delivered a 6-2 win over Marty Letessier and Leopold Morel at No. 1 doubles. Juniors
Adam Ibrahim and
Diego Ortega Cadahia were dealt a 6-2 loss by Enzo Marcheschi and Merlin Bellet in the second position before sophomore
Elios Briand and freshman
Bram Poel responded with a 7-5 win over Paul Berrouet and Gregoire Legrand at the third slot.
The Trojans secured the match victory after winning three of the six singles contests on Saturday. At No. 1 singles, de Oliveira was forced to retire due to injury after trailing 6-0, 2-1 to Bellet. The Valkyries pulled ahead after Ibrahim suffered a 6-2, 6-2 loss in the third position versus Berrouet before Poel tied the contest at 2-2 after recording a 6-1, 7-5 win over Marcheschi in the fourth slot. Converse countered at No. 5 singles after senior
Israel Rodriguez Rojas fell by a 6-0, 6-3 margin to Letessier to reclaim a 3-2 edge. The Trojans earned wins in the final two matches after Hammond produced a 6-1, 5-7, 6-0 victory over Legrand in the second position, while freshman
Kabir Chhabria clinched the match with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 versus Morel.
In the quarterfinal against Barton, the Trojans produced wins in the first and third sessions in doubles action to claim the opening point. de Oliveira and Hammond collected a 6-4 victory over Wilhelm Karlsson and Johan Holgersson before Briand and Poel posted a 6-4 win against Hannes Tylehed and Felipe Mioch. The No. 2 doubles match was left unfinished after UMO won the initial two contests.
Mount Olive registered three wins of the four completed singles matches to advance to the semifinals. de Oliveria delivered a dominant performance in a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Tylehed in the first position, while Hammond followed with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles versus Mioch. The Bulldogs countered after Ibrahim suffered a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 loss to Holgersson to cut into the deficit in dual match play. Rodriguez Rojas would clinch the match win after recording 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 decision versus Guillem Busquets Brau.
The Trojans will return to the courts tomorrow, Saturday, April 22, to face No. 2-seeded Belmont Abbey in the semifinals of the Conference Carolinas Championship, starting at 10 a.m.
