Cougars Tame Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 5-2, in Catfight

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – College of Charleston men's tennis emerged victorious from the first of three road matches this weekend with a 5-2 win over Bethune-Cookman on Friday afternoon.

After ceding the doubles point to the Wildcats (1-2), the Cougars rebounded by winning five out of six matches in singles competition. Sophomore Rodrigo Encinas defeated MEAC Rookie of the Week's Alexander Chepik in three sets (5-7, 6-3, 6-1) at the top spot. On court three, Charleston's own CAA Player of the Week Charlie Ghriskey beat Gilbert Rotich in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.

Sophomore Vasily Kichigin was the sole Cougar to have a win in singles and doubles against Bethune-Cookman. He and junior Garrett Gordon downed B-CU's Diego Garavito and Greg Almeida 6-3 to move to 2-0 on the season as a pair Kichigan then defeated Kevin Deligny in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, at the No. 4 spot.

Junior Zack Lewis rebounded from a first-set loss to edge out his opponent, MEAC Player of the Week Alvaro Barrera, in a tiebreak and then earned a 6-2 win in the third set for the victory. Sophomore Franz Sydow picked up his first win of the season with a tight 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over Garavito.

“The boys had to earn their wins today,” head coach Jay Bruner said. “We worked together after a slow start and ended the match in the right place. Now we need to work on starting matches in that place.”

College of Charleston travels to Tallahassee tomorrow for back-to-back matches at Florida A&M (11 am) and Florida State (3 pm).

Singles:

1. Rodrigo Encinas (CofC) def. Alexander Chepik (B-CU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1

2. Walid Gtari (B-CU) def. Brice Allanic (CofC) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4

3. Charlie Ghriskey (CofC) def. Gilbert Rotich (B-CU) 6-4, 6-2

4. Vasily Kichigin (CofC) def. Kevin Deligny (B-CU) 6-2, 6-4

5. Zack Lewis (CofC) def. Alvaro Barrera (B-CU) 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2

6. Franz Sydow (CofC) def. Diego Garavito (B-CU) 7-6(4), 6-4

Doubles:

1. Kevin Deligny/Walid Gtari (B-CU) def. Josh Record/Charlie Ghriskey (CofC) 6-4

2. Alexander Chepik/Alvaro Barrera (B-CU) def. Zack Lewis/Rodrigo Encinas (CofC) 6-0

3. Garrett Gordon/Vasily Kichigin (CofC) def. Diego Garavito/Greg Almeida (B-CU) 6-3