Both the men's and women's teams defeat Bethel University in the first of the three-day tournament
MOBILE, Ala. - In the first of five matches for each team over the next three days, the Loyola University New Orleans men's and women's tennis teams each picked up a victory over Bethel University today at the SSAC Round Up in Mobile, Ala.
"Today was a good day," said head coach Kyle Russell. "This point of the season is all about learning, and we learned from some of the things we did well and a lot from what we didn't do well."
The men picked up their first victory of the season with a 5-1 win, while the women claimed their second in a 5-0 match with the Wildcats.
The men began their match with a quick 2-0 lead, as Ricardo Mercado and Ernesto Telles defeated John Griffith and Matthew Wassman on court three 8-3 while Galileo Cabrales and Joseph Short won 8-1 on court two. The doubles match on court one was a tight one, with Ernesto de Diego and Alexander DePascual heading to a tie-breaker at 8-8 but falling 7-2.
That would be the only team point for Bethel however, as Jacob Abdella quickly took down Wassman on court six 6-0, 6-0 to put the Pack up 3-1. On court one, Sean Presti took down Edwyn Ramos 6-1, 6-2, with Telles clinching the victory on a 6-1, 6-2 win as well at court three.
"I thought Sean Presti played one of the better matches I've seen him play today," said Russell. "He was strong from the beginning and never let up for a second, that's a good sign. Jacob Abdella and Ernesto Telles also got their first wins for the Wolf Pack today and that's always great to see."
In the women's match, the Wolf Pack took court three by default before Miranda Cano and Gabrielle Terranova claimed an 8-2 win on court two. Manuela Alban and Arianna Pepper would go on to give Loyola a 3-0 lead on Bethel after defeating Marcela Donatoni and Elena Fochs on court one.
The Pack took a 4-0 lead after a court six forfeit by Bethel, and went on to clinch the fifth point for the win, after Koral Martinez defeated Donatoni on court one 6-0, 6-1. With the match called at 5-0, Loyola led on courts two through four in singles, and were only one game away from taking victories on courts two and four.
The Pack will continue play at the SSAC Round Up tomorrow morning, when each team takes on Brewton-Parker at 10 a.m. before facing Martin Methodist at 3 p.m.
You can keep up with the Pack by following Wolf Pack Athletics on Facebook at Facebook.com/LoyolaWolfPack, Twitter and Instagram @LoyolaWolfPack, and by checking out our website at LoyolaWolfPack.com.
MEN'S TENNIS
Loyola - 5
Bethel - 1
Doubles
Ramos/Bialkowski (BU) def. DePascual/de Diego (LOYNO) 9-8 (7-2)
Cabrales/Short (LOYNO) def. Aguilera/Vanderbough (BU) 8-1
Mercado/Telles (LOYNO) def. Griffith/Wassman (BU) 8-3
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles
Presti (LOYNO) def. Ramos (BU) 6-1, 6-2
Cheung (LOYNO) vs. Bialkowski (BU) 6-5, (DNF)
Telles (LOYNO) def. Aguilera (BU) 6-1, 6-2
Fourmaux (LOYNO) vs. Vanderbrough (BU) 4-6, 6-0, 1-0 (DNF)
B. Abdella (LOYNO) vs. Griffith (BU) 6-1, 4-2 (DNF)
J. Abdella (LOYNO) def. Wassman (BU) 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 1, 3
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Loyola - 5
Bethel - 0
Doubles
Alban/Pepper (LOYNO) def. Donatoni/Fochs (BU) 8-3
Cano/Terranova (LOYNO) def. Dorero/Smarsh (BU) 8-2
Adams/Sutherland (LOYNO) Win by default
Order of finish: 2, 1
Singles
Martinez (LOYNO) def. Donatoni (BU) 6-0, 6-1
Alban (LOYNO) vs. Fochs (BU) 6-4, 5-2 (DNF)
Terranova (LOYNO) vs. Dorero (BU) 6-0, 3-2 (DNF)
Adams (LOYNO) vs. Smarsh (BU) 6-1, 5-3 (DNF)
Junqueira (LOYNO) vs. Daniels (BU) 5-6 (DNF)
Sutherland (LOYNO) Win by default
Order of finish: 1
