WILSON, N.C.-Host Barton College opened up its play in the 2011 Barton Duals with a victory over the second ranked team in the Atlantic Region easily defeating Bluefield State College 6-2 in NCAA Division II men's tennis action Friday afternoon.
The No. 15 Southeast Region ranked Bulldogs (7-3) have won three straight matches and have swept doubles play in six of seven wins. The No. 2 Atlantic Region Big Blues (6-5) had a four-match win streak snapped.
In a matchup of nationally ranked players, Barton No. 32 senior Cesar Grobel (Sao Paulo, Brazil) cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over No. 43 Shikhar Kapur for the Bulldogs sixth point. All five of Grobel's (5-3) wins have come in straight sets.
After securing the 3-nil lead after doubles, Bluefield State recorded the first two points of singles to pull within one. BC No. 6 senior Leandro Peron (Santana de Parnaiba, Brazil) had to retire due to an arm injury while No. 2 Marcin Majchrzak swept his tilt by matching 6-0 scores for the Big Blues.
Senior No. 5 Diego Salinas (Mexico City, Mexico) inched Barton to within one point of victory with a convincing 6-2, 6-0 win. Salinas (7-3) has won five straight trips to the court.
Junior P.A. Desilets (Beloeil, Canada) clinched the Bulldog win with a straight-set 6-1, 6-3 victory at No. 3 singles. Desilets (7-2) led 5-1 in the second but Jesus Sanchez won two consecutive games and led 15-40 in the next game but Desilets finished off the victory with four consecutive points on his serve.
Salinas and Desilets are tied for the team lead with seven singles wins apiece.
In doubles, Grobel and freshman Gabriel Araujo (Recife, Brazil) dominated 8-2 as the top tandem. Salinas and junior Renato Mendes (Sao Paulo, Brazil) prevailed 8-3 and Desilets-Peron triumphed 8-4.
The Bulldogs will turn around and host Davis & Elkins College in its second match of the Barton Duals on Friday evening at 6 p.m.
