ABILENE - For the second time in as many days, an ACU men's tennis match came down to the final match. But on Sunday against their old rivals from Incarnate Word, the Wildcats rallied from a 3-1 deficit to upset the 73rd-ranked Cardinals, 4-3, at the Mabry Tennis Center.
The victory lifted ACU's record to 6-7 (1-0 Southland), while the Cardinals fell to 7-3 (0-1 Southland), snapping a seven-match winning streak.
After winning an extremely close doubles point, the Wildcats lost three of their first singles matches - three in straight sets. But at No. 4 singles, junior
Guilherme Gesser outlasted Tucker Brown in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to keep ACU alive in the match down 3-2.
No. 6 player
Marco Bensley then tied the score at 3-3 with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 decision over Johan Haerens, and freshman
Nico Agritelley clinched the team victory after holding off Brandon Davis at No. 5, 6-4, 6-4. Both Bensley and Agritelley have won their last three matches; Agritelley also took over the team lead in wins today with eight.
All three doubles matches were decided in a tiebreaker. Gesser and Borja Cortés improved to 3-0 as a No. 1 team after defeating Leonard Ivic and Jospi Smoljan, 8-7 (5), while at No. 3, Bensley and
Michael Morris beat Davis and Antonio Cavazos, 8-7 (4). Agritelley and sophomore
Jason Proctor lost their match at No. 2, 8-7 (5).
The Wildcats return to action Tuesday at 10 a.m. against the defending Southland Conference champions from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The dual was postponed a day with there being a 70 percent chance of rain in Monday's forecast.
Abilene Christian 4, #73 Incarnate Word 3
Mar 09, 2014 at San Antonio, TX (Mabry Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Jair Assuncao (UIW) def. Borja Cortés (ACU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Leonard Ivic (UIW) def.
Nicklas Wingord (ACU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Josip Smoljan (UIW) def.
Jason Proctor (ACU) 6-2, 6-3
4.
Guilherme Gesser (ACU) def. Tucker Brown (UIW) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
5.
Nico Agritelley (ACU) def. Brandon Davis (UIW) 6-4, 6-4
6.
Marco Bensley (ACU) def. Johan Haerens (UIW) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Borja Cortés/
Guilherme Gesser (ACU) def. Leonard Ivic/Josip Smoljan (UIW) 8-7 (7-5)
2. Tucker Brown/Jair Assuncao (UIW) def.
Jason Proctor/
Nico Agritelley (ACU) 8-7 (7-5)
3.
Michael Morris/
Marco Bensley (ACU) def. Brandon Davis/Antonio Cavazos (UIW) 8-7 (7-4)
Match Notes
Abilene Christian 6-7, 1-0
Incarnate Word 7-3, 0-1; National ranking #73
