JMU Stumbles 6-1 Against UNCW

Friday, March 30

Harrisonburg, Va.

Noon

James Madison University

UNCW

Photo by: Cathy Kushner/JMU Athletics Communications

3/30/2018 4:33:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison men's tennis stumbled 6-1 against UNCW in Colonial Athletic Association action on Friday afternoon at Hillside Courts.

The Seahawks improved to 14-2 overall and 1-1 in CAA play while the Dukes fell to 13-5 and 2-2.

The Dukes opened doubles play with a commanding performance at No. 1. Senior Theophile Lanthiez and sophomore Paul Mendoza claimed a 6-3 win against Ignasi de Rueda and Raphael Calzi. After the Seahawks won at No. 3, the doubles point came down to the No. 2 position.

Trailing 5-4, freshman Alvaro Arce and junior Pierre Kohler staved off match point and eventually took a 6-5 lead. However, UNCW's Michael Morphy and Andres Torres forced a tiebreak where they won 7-6 (4) to claim the doubles point.

UNCW won four of its five singles matches in straight-set fashion, taking points at No. 2, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 to clinch the team win.

With the match in hand, JMU earned its lone point at No. 3 singles. After losing the first set, 6-3, sophomore Damon Roberts grinded out a 7-5 win against Michael Copeland in set two to send it to a third-set, super tiebreaker, in which he won 10-7. At No. 1 singles, Arce dropped the first set 6-2 before rallying back for a 6-2 victory in the second to force a third set. UNCW's Torres went on to win the third 6-0 to close the match.

QUOTING HEAD COACH STEVE SECORD
"It's frustrating and disappointing. I thought we played better from top to bottom today than we did against Longwood, but Wilmington is a good team that won the championship last year. Tomorrow is a good opportunity against Charleston and the guys are looking forward to it."

UP NEXT
The Dukes finish up the weekend with a match against Charleston tomorrow, March 31. First serve is set for a noon start at Hillside Courts.