Bucs dominate Presbyterian in 6-1 win

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Feb. 6, 2022) – The ETSU Men’s Tennis team played into the late hours of Sunday night but came away with the first win of the season, defeating Presbyterian by the final score of 6-1 in the Buccaneers’ home opener.

ETSU claimed the doubles point for the first time this season, winning two of the three doubles bouts. Dimitri Badra (Maracay, Venezuela) and Francisco Lamas (Maracay, Venezuela) kicked things off with a 6-2 win in the No. 2 doubles position. After the Blue Hose evened things up with a win in the top doubles position, the Bucs came through in the clutch with a win in the final doubles battle. Thiago Pernas (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and Juan Sebastian Zabala (Guayaquil, Ecuador) earned a 6-3 doubles win in the No. 3 slot to secure the coveted doubles point, putting the Bucs on top by the count of 1-0.

The Blue & Gold did not look back after the doubles win, claiming five of the six singles battles. Frazier Rengifo (Cali, Colombia) jumpstarted singles play with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Dusan Milanovic in the No. 2 singles position to extend the Buccaneer lead to 2-0. Immediately following Rengifo’s win, Badra pulled ETSU to within one point of the first win of the season after picking up a convincing 6-2, 6-4 win over Javier Matos in the No. 3 slot.

The match was clinched by newcomer Hugo Lobo (Toulon, France) out of the No. 4 singles position. The Mercer transfer earned a three-set thriller, besting Nicholas McKinney in the first set, 6-3. After dropping the second set, 6-4, Lobo regained his composure and cruised to a 6-2 triumph in the third and final set, putting the Bucs on top, 4-0.

With the match in hand, ETSU captured two of the final three singles victories to secure the 6-1 lead. Pernas secured a 6-3, 6-3 win over Georgije Babic in the No. 5 position, while Zabala closed things out with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Sebastian Dominguez in the No. 6 slot.

The Bucs will head to Bloomington, Ind. on Friday, Feb. 11 for a 5 p.m. showdown with Indiana.

Singles Competition

1. Max Benson (PC) def. Yusuf Khamis (ETSU), 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (10-8)
2. Frazier Rengifo (ETSU) def. Dusan Milanovic (PC), 6-4, 6-2
3. Dimitri Badra (ETSU) def. Javier Matos (PC), 6-2, 6-4
4. Hugo Lobo (ETSU) def. Nicholas McKinney (PC), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
5. Thiago Pernas (ETSU) def. Georgije Babic (PC), 6-3, 6-3
6. Juan Sebastian Zabala (ETSU) def. Sebastian Dominguez (PC), 6-2, 6-0

Doubles Competition

1. Max Benson/Dusan Milanovic (PC) def. Frazier Rengifo/Yusuf Khamis (ETSU), 6-3
2. Dimitri Badra/Francisco Lamas (ETSU) def. Nicholas McKinney/Sebastian Dominguez (PC), 6-2
3. Thiago Pernas/Juan Sebastian Zabala (ETSU) def. Javier Matos/Georgije Babic (PC), 6-3

Match Notes: ETSU 1-3, Presbyterian 2-4

Order of Finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,3,4,1,6,5)

For more information on Buccaneer men’s tennis visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s tennis page.