by Kevin Buczek
MURFREESBORO, N.C.-Barton College only lost five games in doubles competition and then rolled to five straight-set wins in singles to defeat host Chowan University 8-1 in NCAA Division II men's tennis action on Tuesday afternoon at the Hawks Tennis Complex.
The Bulldogs second straight 8-1 victory evened Barton's overall record at 2-2. The Hawks, who are ranked 10th in the Atlantic Region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), fell below .500 at 3-4.
Four freshmen and a sophomore won the bottom five singles matches to secure the Barton triumph. Freshman Rafael Ruiz Velasco kept his perfect dual match record intact with a 6-0, 6-2 decision at No. 2. Ruiz boasts a 4-0 singles mark in dual matches.
Sophomore Jorge Pradilla took out the Hawks third seeded singles player 6-3, 6-1 to even his record at 2-2. The freshmen duo of Nick Genest (6-0, 6-2) and Daniel Radu (6-2, 6-3) both advanced to 2-1 with wins at four and five, respectively, while classmate Mihnea Tomos (2-2) conquered his sixth flight foe 6-1, 6-3.
A narrow singles win by Chowan's top singles player in Pedro Aiala after the fate of the match was decided kept the Bulldogs from posting the sweep. Aiala held off BC sophomore Max Leppert in a close pro-set winning 6-3, 2-6, 10-8.
Barton took the commanding 3-nil lead with wins by the doubles teams of Leppert-Ruiz (8-3), Pradilla-Genest (8-0) and Radu-Tomos (8-2). All three tandems have won two consecutive doubles matches.
The Bulldogs have 10 days to prepare for their next foe when Barton returns to Conference Carolinas play at Belmont Abbey on Friday, Feb. 22 at 2:30 p.m.
