by Kevin Buczek
GREER, S.C.-Freshmen Max Leppert and Jorge Pradilla both went a perfect 2-0 in single competition for the visiting Barton College men's tennis team in a pair of 5-4 Conference Carolinas losses to Erskine College on Friday and North Greenville University on Saturday.
The Bulldogs slipped to 1-5 overall after its weekend trip into South Carolina and started league play at 0-2. Barton will look to get back on track when the Bulldogs hosts its first conference foe of the season in Belmont Abbey College on Friday at 3 p.m.
Barton was leading 2-1 in Due West, S.C., after doubles play against Erskine on Friday with wins by the teams of Leppert-Renato Mendes and Pier-Alexandre Desilets-Antoine Massicotte.
Leppert and Pradilla both bounced back from open set losses to win their respective singles matches. Leppert won 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 and Pradilla was victorious 1-6, 6-2, 10-5.
The Flying Fleet won at No. 2, 4 and 6 in straight sets to move within one point of victory before an Angelo Ciarrocchi completed the comeback victory for the hosts with a dramatic 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 win in a battle of 2011 All-Conference performers against Desilets in the top draw.
Erskine remained undefeated on its early season with matching records of 2-0 both overall and in the league.
On Saturday, Barton visited the Greer Tennis Club for its first ever league encounter with North Greenville. The host Crusaders took control early by winning all three doubles competitions before holding on for the narrow one-point victory.
The Bulldogs made things interesting late winning four of the six singles showdowns but two NGU sweeps in the fourth and sixth flights secured the 5-4 triumph.
Desilets was determined not to lose another three-set singles match at No. 1. After barely losing the first set 7-6, Desilets dominated play in the final two frames 6-0 and 6-2.
Mendes scored a 6-2, 6-3 win, Leppert notched a 6-2, 6-4 success and Pradilla won with matching 6-2 conquests.
Desilets, Leppert and Pradilla all have three singles victories for Barton through six matches.
North Greenville picked up its first win of the season and is 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the league.
