The UNF men's tennis team completed its first day as a split squad between tournaments in North Carolina and Georgia Friday, Sept. 20.
James Bonk Duke Invite
September 20, 2019 | Cary Tennis Park | Cary, N.C.
CARY, N.C. - UNF's quartet picked up three doubles wins and a singles triumph on the first day at the Duke James Bonk Invite in Cary, N.C.
The doubles team of
Dominik Barton and
Joe Ellis positioned themselves in the Men's Doubles White Final tomorrow with wins over a pair from Duke and George Washington.
Nilo Duarte and
Jorge Nunez went 1-1 on the day and will play in the Men's Doubles Black Third Place match tomorrow.
Ellis picked up UNF's lone singles triumph, a 6-4, 6-3 win against UNC Charlotte's Cole Brainard.
"The guys did a great job in doubles this morning," assistant coach
Bart Van Leijsen said. "I thought we brought great energy in doubles, but we have to execute a bit better and bring it in big moments during singles play. We are taking steps in the right direction with the way we are playing, but we have to be more consistent. We are hungry for more and looking forward to doubles and singles Saturday."
Doubles Competition
Men's Doubles Black
Nunez/Duarte def. Burton/Sturgill (LIB), 7-5 - Quarterfinals
Groom/Caula def. Duarte/Nunez, 7-6 (3) - Semifinals
Men's Doubles White
Barton/Ellis def. Rubell/Zhang (Duke), 6-1 - Quarterfinals
Barton/Ellis def. Enslin/Putter (GW), 6-4 - Semifinals
Singles Competition
Men's Singles White
Michael Heller (Duke) def.
Jorge Nunez, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Men's Singles Royal
Jake Bhangdia (FU) def.
Nilo Duarte, 7-5, 6-4
Men's Singles Blue
Michael Copeland (UNCW) def.
Dominik Barton, 6-3, 6-7 (11), 6-2
Men's Singles Black
Joe Ellis def. Cole Brainard (UNCC), 6-4, 6-3
Mercer Gridiron Classic
September 20, 2019 | Leroy Peddy Tennis | Macon, Ga.
MACON, Ga. - UNF had three representatives compete on day one of the 2019 Mercer Gridiron Classic, with the Ospreys picking up three singles wins including the first-collegiate triumph for freshman PJ Kotan. Kotan got a bye in the round of 32 before downing Neil Khandai of Georgia Southern, 7-5, 6-1. He'll start the day tomorrow in the Singles - Flight B Quarterfinals.
Senior
Charley Castaing notched a bye and a win to catapult him into the Singles - Flight C Semifinals tomorrow. UNF's pair of
Federico Nani and PJ Kotan dropped their only doubles match of the day after receiving a bye. All told the Ospreys will have three singles matches and a doubles match on the docket tomorrow from Macon.
"I thought we did some good things on the singles court today," head coach
Matt Lucas said. "Fede had a battle with a top guy from Kennesaw State and fell just short. We needed to execute a bit better in the big moments, but he rebounded and gutted his way to a solid win in the backdraw. PJ came out a bit nervous in his first-collegiate match, but settled in and really dominated most of the match. His body language and positivity on the court is exactly what we want to embody as Ospreys! Charley also played solidly and will be challenged more tomorrow, but I know he's ready."
Singles Competition
Men's Singles Flight A - Round of 32
Bryan Triana (KSU) def.
Federico Nani, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
Men's Singles Flight A Consolation - Round of 16
Federico Nani def. Hugo Lobo (MER), 7-6(4), 7-5
Men's Singles Flight B - Round of 32
PJ Kotan - Bye
Men's Singles Flight B - Round of 16
PJ Kotan def. Neil Khandai (GSU), 7-5, 6-1
Men's Singles Flight C - Round of 32
Charley Castaing - Bye
Men's Singles Flight C - Quarterfinals
Charley Castaing def. Ivan Morin-Kougoucheff (FAU), 6-2, 6-4
Doubles Competition
Men's Doubles Flight A - Round of 32
Federico Nani/PJ Kotan - Bye
Men's Doubles Flight A - Round of 16
Yovan Lambros/Hunter Robbins (FAU) def.
Federico Nani/PJ Kotan, 7-5
"We came out sloppy and on our heels in doubles, and that's not who we are," Lucas said. "They will learn from this and realize it's a short set and they need to be the aggressors from the start."
Tomorrow
James Bonk Invite (9 a.m. start)
Barton/Ellis v. Brailovsky/Davis (W&M) - Men's Doubles White Finals
Duarte/Nunez v. Wilson/Munns (FU) - Men's Doubles Black Third Place Match
Jorge Nunez v. Benjamin Wayand (UNCC) - Men's Singles White Consolation Quarterfinals
Nilo Duarte v. Leonardo Menezes (UNCC) - Men's Singles Royal Consolation Quarterfinals
Dominik Barton - Men's Singles Blue Consolation Quarterfinals (Walkover)
Joe Ellis v. Joseph Emerson (LU) - Men's Singles Blue Round Two
Mercer Gridiron Classic (8:30 a.m. start)
Federico Nani v. Yovan Lambros (FAU) - Singles Flight A Consolation Quarterfinals
PJ Kotan v. Kevin Patel (KSU) - Singles Flight B Quarterfinals
Charley Castaing v. Jack Sorel (KSU) - Singles Flight C Semifinals
Federico Nani/PJ Kotan v. Connor Williamson/Abhimanyu Vannemreddy (WIN) - Doubles Flight A Consolation Round of 16
