by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C.–The Barton College men's tennis team swept Carson-Newman University, Brevard College and Catawba College by identical 5-0 margins in the Conference Carolinas/South Atlantic Conference Challenge this weekend at the Barton Tennis Complex.
The contests were part of a two-day event that matched three men's and women's teams from the two leagues against each other. Conference Carolinas easily won the Challenge, claiming all nine matches while losing just two individual matches in the process.
Barton opened play by sweeping Carson-Newman on Friday morning. Rafael Ruiz and Jake McCartney won No. 1 doubles for the Bulldogs, 8-6, Max Leppert and Jorge Pradilla took No. 2 doubles, 8-4, and Nick Genest and Daniel Radu claimed No. 3 doubles, 8-2. Ruiz won his No. 1 singles match against Juan Sebastian Perez, 6-4, 6-3, and Max Leppert survived a first-set tiebreaker to take No. 3 singles, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, and close out the win for Barton.
In the match with Brevard on Friday afternoon, Ruiz and McCartney took No. 1 doubles, 8-5, Leppert and Pradilla won No. 2 doubles, 8-3, and Genest and Radu claimed No. 3 doubles, 8-4. Ruiz again cruised through No. 1 singles, 6-4, 6-1, over David Taggart, and McCartney took No. 2 singles in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3, to finish off the victory. The Bulldogs were leading three of the other four matches in progress when play was stopped after Barton's match-clenching point was won.
On Saturday afternoon, Ruiz and McCartney faced their most difficult doubles challenge of the weekend, as Catawba's Pierce Hoover and Michael Patch put up quite a battle before falling in a tiebreaker 9-8 (7-3). Barton's other two doubles tandems both recorded identical 8-4 wins. Nick Genest made quick work of Brad Smethurst, 6-1, 6-1 at No.6 singles, and Ruiz posted a 6-4, 6-2 win over Hoover at No. 1 singles to give the Bulldogs the Challenge sweep.
The three dual matches were the only ones scheduled for the team in the fall.
Conference Carolinas/South Atlantic Conference Challenge Results
Barton 5, Carson-Newman 0
Singles
Rafael Ruiz (BC) def. Juan Sebastian Perez, 6-4, 6-3; Joao Pedro Oliveria (CN) vs. Jake McCartney, 7-5, 5-4 (unfinished); Max Leppert (BC) def. Jonathan Allen, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3; Jorge Pradilla (BC) vs. Austin Mackay, 1-1 (unfinished); Daniel Radu (BC) vs. Lee Presson, no result; Nick Genest (BC) vs. Daniel Douglas, no result.
Doubles
Ruiz/McCartney (BC) def. Perez/Oliveria, 8-6; Leppert/Pradilla (BC) def. Mackay/Allen, 8-4; Genest/Radu (BC) def. Presson/Douglas, 8-2.
Records: Barton 1-0, Carson-Newman 1-1
Barton 5, Brevard 0
Singles
Rafael Ruiz (Bart.) def. David Taggart, 6-4, 6-1; Jake McCartney (Bart.) def. Rory Northam, 6-0, 6-3; Max Leppert (Bart.) vs. Nathan Sabate, 6-4, 2-0 (unfinished); Jorge Pradilla (Bart.) vs. Christoph Plasa, 6-2, 1-0 (unfinished); Daniel Radu (Bart.) vs. George Finch, 6-4 (unfinished); Guilherme Silva (Brev.) 6-2, 3-0 (unfinished).
Doubles
Ruiz/McCartney (Bart.) def. Taggart/Northam, 8-5; Leppert/Pradilla (Bart.) def. Vinicius Fernandes/Sabate, 8-3; Genest/Radu (Bart.) def. Silva/Finch, 8-4.
Records: Barton 2-0, Brevard 0-2
Barton 5, Catawba 0
Singles
Rafael Ruiz (BC) def. Pierce Hoover, 6-4, 6-2; Jake McCartney (BC) vs. Jack Mordey, 7-6 (7-3), 2-1 (unfinished); Max Leppert (BC) vs. Michael Patch, 7-5, 2-0 (unfinished); Iago Montero Nunez (CC) vs. Jorge Pradilla, 6-3, 2-1 (unfinished); Daniel Radu (BC) vs. Aaron Vanhorenbeck, 6-2, 5-1 (unfinished); Nick Genest (BC) def. Brad Smethurst, 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles
Ruiz/McCartney (BC) def. Hoover/Patch, 9-8 (7-3); Leppert/Pradilla (BC) def. Mordey/Nunez, 8-4; Radu/Genest (BC) def. Vanhorenbeck/Smethurst, 8-4.
Records: Barton 3-0, Catawba 1-5
