COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (17-4) vs. DAVIDSON (11-6)
Match #22 • Saturday, Apr. 6, 2019 • 12 p.m. ET
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. • Patriots Point
Live Stats: CofCStats.com
 
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College of Charleston men's tennis team are set to host Carolina rivals Davidson on Saturday at Patriots Point. First serve is set for noon between the Cougars and Wildcats in Charleston's second-to-last match of the season before the Colonial Athletic Association Championships on Apr. 17 with Charleston looking to hit 18 wins on the year.  
 
Scouting Davidson
With an 11-6 record, 4-3 on the road, the Wildcats visit Patriots Point in Charleston's final home match before Senior Day on Apr. 9. Davidson have dropped their last two decisions, both on the road, falling 5-0 to the Cougars' CAA rival Elon on Mar. 13. Davidson took the matchup against the Cougars last season, 6-1, in Davidson, N.C.
 
Notables
• Benedikt Henning was named the Colonial Athletic Association Singles Co-Player of the Week on Mar. 19.
• Henning is 15-2 in singles play on the year, Ben Cawston also on 14-3 in singles play.
• Robby Krick and Ben Cawston are 14-1 in doubles play and on a eight match win streak.
• Charleston defeated CAA rivals Drexel with Johnny Wang clinching on court three, Easton Thomas battling back on court one to put the emphasis on the 5-2 victory.
• Charleston battled back for a come-from-behind 4-3 win to hand UNC-Asheville their first loss of 2019.
• Freshmen Ben Cawston and Johnny Wang levelled and then won the match in three sets.
• The Cougars fell in their season opener to ACC powerhouse Virginia Tech before rattling off eight straight road wins.
• Charleston's 17 wins are the most since the 2016 squad hit 19.
 
That Come-From-Behind Win
The Cougars rallied against previously unbeaten UNC-Asheville on March 9, two freshmen helping clinch the match in third sets. Benedikt Henning paved the way at the top of the lineup with a straight-sets win to level the match at 1-1 after the Bulldogs took the doubles point. With Ben Cawston and Johnny Wang heading into three sets and Charleston needing to win both, the freshman proved their worth. Cawston won on court three to level the match at 3-3, setting up the grandstand finish for Wang on court four who gave Charleston the 4-3 win.
 
Nationally Ranked
Doubles duo, senior Benedikt Henning and freshman Johnny Wang, were ranked in the top-75 doublesby the Intercollegiate Tennis Association in the latest ITA/Oracle release on March 19. The pair have opened the season with a 12-2 record, defeating No. 19 ranked Virginia Tech duo of Henrik Korsgaard and Alexandre Ribeiro, 7-6 (5-0), and Wofford's Bryce Keim and Omar Williams 6-4, to open the season. The pair have teamed up since with wins over Lehigh, Radford, Chattanooga, Marist, Fairfield, Hope College, Elon and Drexel.
 
The Cougars
Charleston returns four letter-winners from a 2018 squad who finished 7-12 in the CAA Quarterfinal round. This year the Cougars are led by three-time All-CAA selection Benedikt Henning alongside junior Easton Thomas. Ksawery Pociej and Youssef Dabbabi are the sophomores while head coach Jay Bruner welcomes six newcomers including three-star recruit Robby Krick (Ashland, Ky.). The freshman class also includes Johnny Wang (Chinese Taipei), Andre Limon (Mexico City, Mexico), Ben Husum (Aarhus, Denmark), Augusto Gonzalez Bonorino (Tucuman, Argentina) and January signee Benjamin Cawston (Tasmania, Australia).
 
Senior Leader
Charleston will look to the leadership of senior Benedikt Henning, a three-time All-CAA selection, at the top of the lineup with an 11-5 singles record and 12-3 doubles record last year. The German garned First Team All-CAA Singles honors in both 2017 and 2018, earning All-CAA Second Team Doubles honors last year. Easton Thomas, 7-11 singles and 7-6 doubles in 2018, is the lone junior in a young Cougars roster.