Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – All but one singles match went to three sets and the doubles point proved to be the deciding factor in Sunday's Atlantic Sun Conference with No. 69 Stetson edging the University of North Florida 4-3 in men's tennis action at the UNF Tennis Complex.
For UNF (5-3, 1-1 A-Sun), the loss was the first home loss and first league loss of the season. The Ospreys, who are 4-1 on their own courts, captured the only straight-set singles decision of the match in a 6-2, 6-4 freshman Marcos Chiaretti win at the No. 4 position.
“I feel we did a good job bringing the match down to the ropes,” UNF head coach Igal Buberman said. “We never ask our players to win or lose but rather to do things right knowing that good results will follow, and I feel that today we did a pretty good job.”
Junior Ronnie Sang and sophomore Graham Edgar outlasted the No. 3 doubles pair from Stetson (9-3, 3-0) to notch the Ospreys' only doubles victory with a 9-8(3) score. The Hatters tallied an 8-5 and an 8-3 win at the first and second doubles slots, respectively.
In the premier individual position, junior Federico Levi powered past Filip Kricka by taking the first set 6-4 and the third set 6-2 after dropping the middle set 6-2. Sang began his No. 2 singles match with a 7-5 first-set win but dropped the final two.
The Hatters put things away with wins at the third and fifth singles spots. Maksim Levanovich managed to squeeze by freshman Mark Misanovic in three sets in the No. 3 slot while Cesare Gallo was a three-set winner against junior Kurt Gattiker at the No. 5 spot.
“We are obviously a little disappointed, but at the same time we took a step forward and the chemistry keeps improving,” Buberman said. “Conference competition has just started, and we have some strong teams to come. We will use today's experience to keep our motivation going. Our hard work is paying off.”
When UNF steps back on the court, it will do so in Nashville, Tenn., next weekend, playing a pair of A-Sun matches in Music City, taking on Belmont Friday and Lipscomb Saturday.
