Firebirds Men’s Tennis Defeats USciences, 6-3
WASHINGTON, DC – Trailing 2-1 at the conclusion of doubles play, the University of the District of Columbia men's tennis team won five of the six singles matches to claim its first victory of the season, 6-3 over regional foe University of the Sciences on a beautiful Fall afternoon Monday, October 5th.
The Firebirds, who lost their season-opener to Georgetown back in mid-September, improved to 1-1 on the season with today's victory. The Devils, of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, fell to 1-3.
Sophomores Rok Bozic and Marco Feligioni earned the first point of the match with their 8-6 victory over Borna Novak and Duncan Henderson at No. 2 doubles, but UDC would drop the No. 3 and No. 1 matches, respectively, by identical scores of 8-4. USciences led 2-1 heading into singles play.
UDC's Diego Pinto, the reigning East Coast Conference Rookie of the Year, evened the score at 2 with his dominant, 6-0, 6-0 No. 2 singles win vs. Novak, and sophomore Alexis Baguelin put the Firebirds in front, 3-2 with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Tajay McLeod at No. 5.
The Devils would tie the score once more at three after Jake Sosonkin got the better of Bozic, 6-1, 6-0 at the top singles spot, but UDC won the final three completed matches at No. 4, 3 and 6, respectively, to finish off the victory, 6-3.
Feligioni outlasted Chandat Phan, 6-4, 6-1 at No. 4, followed by the match-clinching victory at No. 3 by sophomore Ander Murillo, 6-3, 6-3 over Nathan Nguyen. Senior Drew Stewart then won his No. 6 match over Evan Halperin, 6-3, 6-1 for good measure.
The Firebirds are back in action on Friday, October 9th as they host another CACC opponent, Post University at 12:30 p.m. at UDC Tennis Courts.