Wildcats Fall Short in Spring Opener at Home, 4-3

Saturday, January 16

Davidson, N.C.

1:00 p.m.

Davidson College

Georgia Southern

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Wildcats Fall Short in Spring Opener at Home, 4-3

1/16/2016 6:26:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Match Results vs. Georgia Southern
DavidsonPhotos.com

DAVIDSON, N.C. — Opening its Spring season at home Saturday, the Davidson men's tennis team came up just short in a tough 4-3 defeat to visiting Georgia Southern in the Knobloch Tennis Center.

"We competed hard today, but it was a tough loss," said head coach Drew Barrett, who is in his 10th season. "You could tell we still had some rust from the break after our Fall season. We struggled on some of the big points and it cost us unfortunately. Georgia Southern was a very good team and competed hard. We have a couple weeks before our next matches and I know we'll make the adjustments we need to improve."

The match started off with the Wildcats' (0-1) duo of David Hager and Jordan Hart scoring their first doubles win of the year, 6-2, at the No. 3 spot. GSU came back to pick up a 6-4 decision at No. 2, making it come down to the No. 1 doubles spot.

The pair of Artem Khrapko and Jack Riazzi went the distance against the Eagles' top team, but fell just short in a tie-breaker, 7-4, to give up the first team point.

It was 2-0 after Georgia Southern started singles play with a victory at No. 1, but sophomore Shamael Chaudhry got Davidson on the board with a 6-3, 6-4 victory at No. 2. He halted a personal four-match losing streak with the win.

Again the Eagles pulled ahead, but J.B. Gough made it 3-2 with a three-set triumph at No. 4. The junior, who went 13-9 a year ago, picked up a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory at No. 4 for his 21st career singles win.

David Hager knotted the match up with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 5 to push his personal winning streak to five straight dating back to the end of last season.

It was a battle for the final point at No. 6, with Jack Riazzi doing his best before falling short. He dropped his first set in a tie-breaker and then extended the second set before falling in the end 7-5.

Davidson is off until the end of the month when it faces N.C. Central and Gardner-Webb at home, Jan. 30 & 31.

Georgia Southern 4, Davidson 3
Singles competition
1. Rise Lanne (GSU) def. Artem Khrapko (DAV) 6-2, 6-2
2. Shamael Chaudhry (DAV) def. JC Alcala (GSU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Eddie Landin (GSU) def. Jordan Hart (DAV) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
4. J.B. Gough (DAV) def. Nico de Groof (GSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
5. David Hager (DAV) def. Daniel Casablancas (GSU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Andre Johnson (GSU) def. Jack Riazzi (DAV) 7-6, 7-5

Doubles competition
1. Christian Kerrigan/Rise Lanne (GSU) def. Artem Khrapko/Jack Riazzi (DAV) 7-6 (7-4)
2. Eddie Landin/Nico de Groof (GSU) def. Alex Howard/Evan Watkins (DAV) 6-4
3. David Hager/Jordan Hart (DAV) def. Daniel Casablancas/JC Alcala (GSU) 6-2