Davidson Falls in Down-to-the-Wire M. Tennis Match vs. Elon, 4-3

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ELON, N.C. — In a epic battle that went down to the wire in a tiebreaker third set, host Elon was able to take a 4-3 decision with the win at No. 1 singles in dramatic fashion over Davidson in a key Southern Conference men's tennis match on Tuesday afternoon.

Both teams are trying to be one of the top-four squads in the league standings to earn a spot in the SoCon Tournament with about two weeks left in the regular season. Davidson (10-7) suffered its second straight league loss, but is still 4-3 overall.

Battling back-and-forth up until the very last point, freshman Joe Schafer could not break through in dropping his match at No. 1 singles, 7-6, 5-7, 6-7, that decided the match all together.

Schafer took the first set despite Elon's Philip Nemec coming back from a 4-1 deficit to force the tiebreaker.

The remaining sets would go back-and-forth with each competitor trying to break serve. After his 7-5 second-set decision forced a third set, Nemec remained on serve and took a 5-4 lead. Schafer finally broke serve to go up 6-5 and it looked like momentum was swinging in the 'Cats' favor. Nemec held strong and broke Schafer's serve to force the tiebreaker. Nemec went up 3-1, before Schafer won the next three points to go ahead 4-3. Those were the final points that Schafer would win as Nemec kept fighting and took the final four points for the match-clinching victory.

The match opened up with Elon (5-12, 4-4 SoCon) taking all three doubles matches, though the 'Cats made them close. The No. 3 doubles team of Sam Burns and Chris Mark dropped an 8-4 decision to start, but the No. 1 and 2 teams narrowly loss. Schafer and Eric Noble forced an extra game, but saw their three-match win streak halted after falling 9-7, and the duo of Calum Gee and Walker Lyons fell 8-6.

Freshman Mark got the match tied up a 1-all when he cruised to his 12th singles win of the year behind a 6-0, 6-2 victory at No. 4. His record ran to 7-2 at that position.

The Wildcats and Phoenix slipt their next two singles matches, with No. 2 Noble winning 6-4, 6-3 over Chase Helpingstine, but Lyons suffered a 6-4, 6-4 setback at No. 3.

After Elon took a 3-2 lead in team points, Gee got Davidson right back in it when he rattled off his 13th singles win, and 10th at No. 5, by earning a three-set victory over Cody McDowell 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The sophomore also remained unbeaten in league singles matches at 8-0.

The 3-3 tie set up the showdown between Schafer and Philip Nemec at No. 1 singles.

Davidson has a busy weekend coming up, when it first hosts Samford on Saturday, Apr. 10, at 1 p.m., and then playing cross-county rival Charlotte on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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