LAKELAND, Fla. — No. 8 Florida Southern College men's tennis (12-4) edged Rider University (1-5) 4-3 on Wednesday at the Wynee Warden Tennis Center. The Moccasins secured the victory with singles wins at the No. 1, No. 3, No. 4, and No. 6 positions.
Florida Southern dropped the doubles point to the Broncs, with victories coming for Rider on courts one and two. At No. 3 doubles,
Mario Garoz and
Edoardo Melindo secured a 6-3 win over Axel Engstrom and Nathan Slattery. However, Rider responded at No. 1 doubles, as Matt Froberg Dahlin and Cole Thurgur defeated #19
George Russell and
Onur Turgut, 6-3. Rider clinched the doubles point at No. 2 doubles, where Ibragim Turgambekov and Heath Paul Walters edged
Bosko Boskovic and
Gabriel Jornert, 7-6(10).
In singles, FSC rebounded with a strong showing. At No. 6 singles, #49
Mario Antonio Morales made quick work of Roger Martinez, winning 6-2, 6-0, to put the Mocs on the board. Turgut added another point for the home team at No. 3 singles, overcoming Walters 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. The pivotal match came at No. 1 singles, where #8 Garoz staged a comeback against Froberg Dahlin, claiming a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory.
The Broncs leveled the score at No. 2 singles, with Thurgur defeating
Matthew Hewitt in a tight contest, 4-6, 6-0, 6-4. However, Florida Southern secured the overall win with
Marco Cinotti's straight-set triumph over Engstrom at No. 4 singles, 6-3, 6-3. Despite a narrow defeat at No. 5 singles, where Slattery edged Boskovic in a three-set battle, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), Florida Southern's earlier singles victories ensured a 4-3 victory in the dual match.
Doubles Â
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Matt Froberg Dahlin/Cole Thurgur (RU) def. #19
George Russell/
Onur Turgut (FSC) 6-3 Â
Ibragim Turgambekov/Heath Paul Walters (RU) def.
Bosko Boskovic/
Gabriel Jornert (FSC) 7-6(8) Â
Mario Garoz/
Edoardo Melindo (FSC) def. Axel Engstrom/Nathan Slattery (RU) 6-3 Â
Singles Â
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#8
Mario Garoz (FSC) def. Matt Froberg Dahlin (RU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 Â
Cole Thurgur (RU) def.
Matthew Hewitt (FSC) 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 Â
Onur Turgut (FSC) def. Heath Paul Walters (RU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 Â
Marco Cinotti (FSC) def. Axel Engstrom (RU) 6-3, 6-3 Â
Nathan Slattery (RU) def.
Bosko Boskovic (FSC) 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) Â
#49
Mario Antonio Morales (FSC) def. Roger Martinez (RU) 6-2, 6-0 Â
Up next for the Moccasins is a match against Emporia State University on Friday, March 20, at 3 p.m. at the USTA in Orlando, Florida.
