Southern Illinois University
Lipscomb
Salukis win eighth straight with 4-3 win over Lipscomb
03/05/2016 | 12:00:00 | Men's Tennis
Tony McDaniel
SIUSalukis.com
NASHVILLE--SIU's men's tennis team (8-1) fended off tough opponents from Lipscomb (3-5) on Saturday in a 4-3 victory.
SIU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after earning the doubles point and taking wins at No. 2 and No. 3 singles. Lipscomb surged to two wins of their own at No. 4 and No. 1 singles, and looked as if the team might end SIU's win streak. Saluki sophomore Alex Pozo put a stop to the Lipscomb push, however, with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 win over Lipscomb's lone senior, John Tougher.
"They fought back, and all of a sudden it was 3-2," head coach Dann Nelson said. "Alex did a great job in the third set, clinching the match."
In doubles, the Bison nearly stole the point from SIU. The Salukis fell at No. 2 doubles before Jonny Rigby and Piotr Baranski secured a 6-2 victory at the No. 1 match.
The point-deciding match at No. 3 doubles was tight. Lipscomb's duo of Kauai Linardi and Thais Minet took Daniel Martinez and Peter Molloy to a tiebreaker, but the two Salukis outlasted Minet and Linardi for a 7-6 (3) win.
"Daniel and Pete really came through for us today at No. 3 doubles," Nelson said. "This was a close match, and the doubles point was crucial."
In singles, Piotr Baranski and Wilder Pimentel continued their momentum. Pimentel won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 singles to improve to 8-1 on the season, while Baranski defeated Minet, 6-0, 6-2, to remain unbeaten. He is 10-0 in all of his matches as a Saluki so far.
SIU's 8-1 record remains the best in the Missouri Valley Conference, and the eight consecutive wins is the longest since 2009 when the Salukis also won eight matches in a row.
The match against Lipscomb was the first match in an eight-match road trip. SIU will play another four road matches during spring break, beginning Friday, March 11 against Jackson State.
"We're looking forward to heading south for spring break and our next matches against Jackson State and Alcorn State," Nelson said.
Results
Doubles
Rigby/Baranski def. Courteau/Manzanares 6-2
Tougher/Mitchell def. Pimentel/Pozo 6-2
Molloy/Martinez def. Minet/Linardi 7-6 (3)
Singles
Mitchell def. Rigby 6-4, 7-6
Pimentel def. Courteau 6-3, 6-3
Baranski def. Minet 6-0, 6-2
Cardenas def. Molloy 7-6(6), 6-4
Pozo def. Tougher 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
Linardi def. Martinez 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
Players Mentioned
