Singles Play Pushes JMU Past Bellarmine for First Win of 2026

Sunday, February 8

Louisville, Ky.

10:30 a.m.

James Madison University

Bellarmine

Singles Play Pushes JMU Past Bellarmine for First Win of 2026

2/8/2026 4:05:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – James Madison overcame a 2-0 deficit, reeling off a string of five straight singles victories to upend Bellarmine, 5-2, in men's tennis action Sunday at the Eddie Weber Tennis Complex.

The Dukes (1-2) captured their first win of 2026 after turning in three straight-set triumphs and a pair of three-set wins, including one in a tiebreak.

Ryan Morgan went 2-0 on the day, winning in both singles and doubles, while he was joined in the singles win column by Aurelien Schmitt, Francisco Sinopoli, Gur Libal and Zach Fleishman.

Bellarmine took an early 1-0 lead after claiming the doubles point in tiebreak fashion. BU took court two by a 6-3 score before JMU evened things up on court three, where Grant Kroodsma and Morgan secured a 7-5 win over Alex English and Zak Vince.

The doubles point would be decided on court one via a tiebreak. BU clinched the point with a 7-6 (2) triumph from Ryan Parkins and Eli Wood over Esteve Agusti and Sinopoli.

In singles play, Bellarmine stretched its lead to 2-0 on court one, as Matthew Nice downed Agusti in straight sets, at 6-3, 6-4.

JMU turned in a pair of close wins on courts two and three to even the match heading to the second half of singles play. Schmitt overcame an extended first-set tiebreak and held off Ryan Parkins for a 7-6 (7), 6-4 victory on court three. Morgan ended his 2-0 day with a 7-5, 6-4 triumph against Eli Wood on court two.

The Dukes grabbed the lead for the first time on court four, as Sinopoli cruised in the second set to defeat Vince, 7-6 (3), 6-1.

The match would be decided on the final two courts, both of which would go the distance in three sets.

Libal clinched the match on court six after winning four of the final five games en route to a 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-3 win against Colby Berson. Fleishman closed the afternoon with a thriller on court five, ending with him storming back in a third-set tiebreak. Down 6-4 to English, Fleishman fired off four straight points to win the match, at 6-2, 6-7, (4), 7-6 (6).

JMU returns to action on Friday, Feb. 13 when it opens its home slate against Sun Belt Conference foe South Alabama. The match is set for a 2 p.m. start at East Campus Tennis Courts and will follow JMU women's tennis' home opener that morning against Howard.