DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – The College of Charleston men's tennis team (3-1) set the tone early in doubles play, and despite the Wildcats giving them a run for their money in the mid-singles flights, the Cougars held on for the 4-3 win over Bethune Cookman (2-4).
The top flight pairing of Juan Estevarena and Rodrigo Encinas advanced their spring record to a perfect 4-0 Sunday, picking up a 6-3 win over Walid Gtari and Jose Plazas. Charlie Ghriskey and Zack Lewis followed up strong, grabbing the 6-2 decision over Alexander Chepik and Greg Almeida to secure the doubles point.
Estevarena remained hot as play made the transition to singles, winning the top-flight showdown with Chepik by a score of 6-3, 6-4. Not to be outdone, his teammate Encinas managed an even more convincing victory in fifth flight singles, prevailing 6-4, 6-1 over Pablo Lopez. Ryan Khan pulled off the 6-4, 6-1 win over Alvaro Barrera to secure the win for the College.
Though the Cougars surrendered three points to the Wildcats, two of them were extremely hard-fought. Charlie Ghriskey narrowly emerged the 7-5 winner over Greg Almeida in the first set of the fourth flight before giving up the next two sets 6-3, 6-1. Zack Lewis likewise stole a 4-6 first set win over Walid Gtari in the second flight, and went down scrapping with a 7-5, 6-3 result to follow in favor of his opponent.
With the win, the Cougars rise to 3-1 on the spring campaign. They'll return home with a week off to tinker with their tactics before hosting their first match of the season, a Saturday showdown against Presbyterian at 10 a.m.
CofC 4, Bethune Cookman 3
SINGLES
Juan Estevarena def. Alexander Chepik – 6-3, 6-4
Walid Gtari def. Zack Lewis – 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
Jose Plazas def. Vasily Kichigin – 6-4, 6-2
Greg Almeida def. Charlie Ghriskey – 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
Rodrigo Encinas def. Pablo Lopez – 6-4, 6-1
Ryan Khan def. Alvaro Barrera – 6-4, 6-3
DOUBLES
Estevarena/Encinas def. Gtari/Plazas – 6-3
Ghriskey/Lewis def. Chepik/Almeida – 6-2
Record/Kichigin def. Hall/Barrera – No Result
2016 Spring Season
SINGLES
Estevarena, Khan (3-1), Encinas (2-1), Lewis (2-2), Record (1-0), Ghriskey, Kichigin (1-3)
DOUBLES
Encinas, Estevarena, Record, Kichigin (4-0), Ghriskey, Lewis (2-2)
