ABILENE - The No. 6 Abilene Christian men's tennis team received a stiff test from Lone Star Conference rival and No. 28 Incarnate Word Friday afternoon at the Eager Tennis Pavilion. The Wildcats prevailed 7-2, but had to come back from a set down in three of six singles matches.
The win was ACU's (8-4) fourth straight and should prepare them well for Saturday's 4:30 match at No. 15 Texas A&M in College Station.
The Wildcats began the dual by winning two of three doubles matches. The No. 1 tandem of
Hans Hach and
Guilherme Gesser doubled up Carlos Overa and Aiden DeLeon, 8-4, and at No. 3, brothers Kyle and
Nick Plum thrashed Chris Lawson and Leory Arias, 8-1.
Hach has won his first 10 doubles matches to start this season, and with Gesser, he is 4-0 at the top position. Kyle and Nick are also 4-0 together at the No. 3 spot.
Hach and
Nick Plum were two of four Wildcats to be stretched to a third set in singles.
Hach convincingly won the first set, 6-1, over Olvera, but then lost 4-6, before coming back strong in the final set, 6-4. Hach is now 9-2 in singles, having played all his matches at No. 1.
Plum - at No. 3 - kept pace with Hach for the team's best singles record after coming back from a set down to beat Arias, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Five of Plum's nine wins have come at No. 3.
Gesser - at No. 5 singles - and
Michael Morris - at No. 6 - also were forced to rally.
Gesser came back to beat Brandon Davis, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, while Morris was triumphant by scores of 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. Both Wildcats are 5-5 on the year.
Borja Cortes (8-4) was victorious for the Wildcats at No. 4 singles over David Ballenger, 6-2, 7-5.
#6 Abilene Christian 7, #28 Incarnate Word 2
Mar 02, 2012 at Abilene, TX (Eager Tennis Pavilion)
Singles competition
1. #6
Hans Hach (ACUM) def. Carlos Olvera (UIW) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
2. Chris Lawson (UIW) def. #43
Alfredo Desiati (ACUM) 7-5, 6-2
3.
Nick Plum (ACUM) def. Leury Arias (UIW) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
4. Borja Cortes (ACUM) def. David Ballenger (UIW) 6-2, 7-5
5.
Guilherme Gesser (ACUM) def. Brandon Davis (UIW) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
6.
Michael Morris (ACUM) def. Luke Trautmann (UIW) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
1.
Hans Hach/
Guilherme Gesser (ACUM) def. Carlos Olvera/Aiden DeLeon (UIW) 8-4
2. David Ballenger/Luke Trautmann (UIW) def.
Alfredo Desiati/Borja Cortes (ACUM) 8-6
3.
Kyle Plum/
Nick Plum (ACUM) def. Chris Lawson/Leury Arias (UIW) 8-1
Match Notes
Incarnate Word 3-3; National ranking #28; Regional ranking #6
Abilene Christian 8-4; National ranking #6; Regional ranking #1
