M. Tennis Scores Pair of Wins, Up Ends #61 USC Upstate 5-0

Saturday, February 5

Davidson, N.C.

2:00 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

No. 60 USC - Upstate

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

M. Tennis Scores Pair of Wins, Up Ends #61 USC Upstate 5-0

2/5/2011 10:21:22 PM | Men's Tennis

Gavin McFarlin -- Assistant SID

DAVIDSON, N.C. — After a week off, the Davidson men's tennis team returned to action in winning style, scoring their first wins of the 2011 season with victories over Gardner-Webb (6-1) and No. 61 USC Upstate (5-0) on Saturday afternoon at the Knobloch Tennis Center.

Davidson (2-3) remained unbeaten against Gardner-Webb (1-4) since 2003 at 8-0, while running its record to 2-1 against USC Upstate (0-5). The Wildcats scored their first win over a nationally ranked opponent since 1988.

Joe Schafer, Arie Hefter and Walker Lyons each went 2-0 in singles play to guide the 'Cats, while Schafer and Calum Gee won both of their doubles matches in assisting Davidson to earn 1-0 leads to start both matches.

Davidson started its match against Gardner-Webb with wins at No.1 and 3 doubles, as Connor Evins and Kevin Moore sealed the doubles point with a 9-8 triumph at No. 3.

The 'Cats then scored wins at five of the six singles spots for the five-point victory and their first of 2011.

Much was the same vs. USC Upstate as Davidson opened up with 8-2 and 8-6 wins at No. 1 and 2 doubles and then scored wins in five of the singles matches for the 5-0 shutout.

Schafer moved to a team-best 4-1 on the year after securing 6-4, 6-2 and 7-5, 6-3 wins at No. 1 singles, while he and Gee improved to 3-2 in doubles action at No. 1 with their two doubles wins.

Hefter netted his first and second wins of the year with straight wins at No. 3 over Andrew Veeder (Gardner-Webb) and Gianluca Paino (USCU). He started the day with a 6-2, 4-1 win and then cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 victory in his last match.

Lyons scored his 31st and 32nd career singles wins with 6-4, 6-3 and 6-4, 6-0 victories at No. 4.

Gee and Moore each earned singles wins in the first match vs. the Runnin' Bulldogs as Gee took home a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 5 over Roman Piftor and Moore scored his second win of the year with a 3-6, 6-1, 11-9 triumph over Andrew Carter at No. 6.

Davidson hits the road for its next two matches, a 4 p.m. match against No. 64 Harvard on Feb. 11 and then a 1 p.m. match against Brown on Feb. 12.