MONTGOMERY, Ala. --- Trailing 2-1 upon completion of double's play, the Mississippi College men's tennis team rallied in single's play to edge #41 ranked and fifth-seeded West Alabama 5-4 in round one of the Gulf South Conference Championship on Thursday afternoon. With the win, the Choctaws improve to 11-9 overall.
Joan Valy and
Marcos Rocca grabbed MC's lone point in doubles, with an 8-4 victory in the number one matchup over Julius Kaverinen/Honorio Fernandez. The win for the duo improved their 2017 record to a team-best 15-2 as a unit.
MC would go on to claim four of the six possible single's points to secure the win.
Joan Valy in the number one spot, (6-1, 6-1) and
Max Nilges in the number six spot (6-3, 6-4) both downed their opponents in straight sets. In the number three matchup,
Marcos Rocca knocked off Andrii Stratiienko 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.
It was
Lucio Menezes who won the match-clinching fifth point for the Choctaws. The junior defeated Honorio Fernandez in the number two spot 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a dramatic three-set contest to seal the deal.
The Choctaws will return to action in the GSC Championship Semi-Finals against top-seeded West Florida tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 p.m.
Mississippi College 5, #41 West Alabama 4
Apr 20, 2017 at Montgomery, Ala. (Lagoon Park)
| Singles competition |
| 1. Joan Valy (MC) def. Julius Kaverinen (UWA) 6-1, 6-1 |
| 2. Lucio Menezes (MC) def. Honorio Fernandez (UWA) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 |
| 3. Marcos Rocca (MC) def. Andrii Stratiienko (UWA) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 |
| 4. Henrik Sinkko (UWA) def. Trey Randall (MC) 6-0, 6-0 |
| 5. Christopher Wood (UWA) def. Petar Damjanovic (MC) 6-1, 6-1 |
| 6. Max Nilges (MC) def. Anton Lof (UWA) 6-3, 6-4 |
| Match Notes |
| West Alabama 8-15, 5-4 GSC; National ranking #41 |
| Mississippi College 11-9, 5-4 GSC |
