ABILENE – Abilene Christian men's tennis continued its winning ways over two frequent non-conference opponents Saturday at the Teague Events Center, beating Oral Roberts, 5-2, and Air Force, 4-3, in improving to 8-5 on the spring season.
ACU has won its last six duals since starting the year at 2-5, while its series winning streaks vs. the Golden Eagles and Falcons each were extended to a third meeting.
Since beginning its NCAA D1 era in 2013-14, ACU has yet to lose to its former Southland Conference rivals from Oral Roberts, winning by scores of 5-2, 4-3 and 5-2. And against Air Force – a school the Wildcats have faced at least once for the last five years – the Wildcats now lead that series 3-2 following today's triumph.
The Falcons (5-1) won their first two D1 meetings vs. ACU in 2014 and 2015 in convincing fashion with 6-1 and 7-0 scores, but the Wildcats have turned the tables in recent years by escaping with consecutive 4-3 triumphs.
Senior
Hunter Holman secured the match-winning point last year at USAFA with a No. 5 win over Tadhg Collins, 7-6, 6-1, and today he won in even more dramatic fashion, coming back from a set down to beat Paul Hendrix, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Holman took the court along with classmates
Henry Adams and
Paul Michael Domanski with their team ahead of the Falcons, 3-1, thanks to the doubles point and hard-fought singles triumphs from brothers Josh and
Jonathan Sheehy.
Jonathan put the Wildcats ahead 2-0 with his 7-5, 6-1 win over Mack Galvin at No. 2, and after Wildcats' sophomore Niko Moceanu lost at No. 3,
Josh Sheehy held off Patrick Sklenka at No. 1, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
All ACU needed now was for one of its three seniors to clinch the match, and unfortunately all three lost their first sets. Holman was topped, 6-2, Adams fell, 6-4, to Luke Sanderson, and Sean McKendree edged Domanski, 7-6, after trailing in the early stages of their match.
Adams and Domanski didn't fare better in their second sets, leaving both rosters and the remaining spectators to place all their focus on court No. 3.
Holman did not disappoint.
First the Dallas native cruised to a 6-2 win in the second set, and in the third he jumped out to a 5-1 lead after dropping the first point to Hendrix. Holman even paused on his way back to the bench to rally the troops after breaking Hendrix's serve and going up 4-1.
Hendrix, however, wouldn't easily give up the fight and soon made it a 5-3 game. Then he nearly broke Holman's serve, battling all the way back from a 40-0 deficit. But on the final play of an eight-hit rally, Holman hit the ball to Hendrix's right after getting the Falcon to chase the ball down at the left sideline.
The victory was Holman's fifth of the spring and second of the day as he also topped Oral Roberts' Hunter Eddy Leardini, 6-1, 6-2. He also was part of two doubles victories at No. 3 with junior
Cole Lawson.
The Sheehy brothers additionally went undefeated in singles Saturday and went 1-1 as a doubles team, while Adams and Domanski were 2-0 at No. 2 doubles. Josh and
Jonathan Sheehy are tied for the team lead with eight singles victories as Josh has won his last eight decisions and Jonathan his last six. They are 4-2 as a doubles team.
The Wildcats return to action Friday, Feb. 16 for a twinbill featuring local rivals Hardin-Simmons (11:44 a.m.) and McMurry (3 p.m.).
Abilene Christian 4, Air Force 3
Feb 03, 2018 at Abilene, Texas (Teague Events Center)
Singles competition
1.
Josh Sheehy (ACU) def. Patrick Sklenka (USAFA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
2.
Jonathan Sheehy (ACU) def. Mack Galvin (USAFA) 7-5, 6-1
3. Isaac Perez (USAFA) def. Niko Moceanu (ACU) 7-6, 6-2
4. Luke Sanderson (USAFA) def.
Henry Adams (ACU) 6-4, 6-2
5.
Hunter Holman (ACU) def. Sean McKendree (USAFA) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
6. Paul Hendrix (USAFA) def. Paul M. Domanski (ACU) 7-6, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Tadhg Collins/Mack Galvin (USAFA) def.
Jonathan Sheehy/
Josh Sheehy (ACU) 6-4
2.
Henry Adams/Paul M. Domanski (ACU) def. Isaac Perez/Patrick Sklenka (USAFA) 6-4
3.
Hunter Holman/
Cole Lawson (ACU) def. Luke Sanderson/Paul Hendrix (USAFA) 6-4
Match Notes
Air Force 5-1
Abilene Christian 8-5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,3,1,4,6,5)
T-4:15 A-100
Abilene Christian 5, Oral Roberts 2
Feb 03, 2018 at Abilene, Texas (Teague Events Center)
Singles competition
1.
Josh Sheehy (ACU) def. Kenneth Boykin (ORUM) 7-6, 7-6
2.
Jonathan Sheehy (ACU) def. Jan Pehnec (ORUM) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
3. Alvaro Santamaria (ORUM) def. Niko Moceanu (ACU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
4. Marcello Moreira (ORUM) def.
Henry Adams (ACU) 6-4, 4-6, 10-8
5.
Hunter Holman (ACU) def. Eddy Leardini (ORUM) 6-1, 6-2
6. Paul M. Domanski (ACU) def. Scott Hjelm (ORUM) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles competition
1.
Jonathan Sheehy/
Josh Sheehy (ACU) def. Kenneth Boykin/Jan Pehnec (ORUM) 7-5
2.
Henry Adams/Paul M. Domanski (ACU) def. Marcello Moreira/Andrew Guymon (ORUM) 6-4
3.
Cole Lawson/
Hunter Holman (ACU) def. Alvaro Santamaria/Eddy Leardini (ORUM) 6-3
Match Notes
Oral Roberts 1-1
Abilene Christian 7-5
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,3,2,5,6,4)
T-4:00 A-100
