by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Freshman Daniel Radu notched Barton College's only singles win in a 7-2 Conference Carolinas home loss to Erskine College on Friday afternoon at the Barton Tennis Complex.
The Flying Fleet got in the win column for the first time this season with a win in their conference opener. Erskine departed with records of 1-4 overall and 1-0 in the league. The Bulldogs had a three-match win streak come to an end, slipping to 3-3 and 2-1.
Erskine won the third doubles match but an 8-5 win by BC sophomore Jorge Pradilla and freshman Nick Genest at No. 2 tied the match at 1-1. Sophomore Max Leppert and freshman Rafael Ruiz Velasco had led the top doubles draw 8-7 but the Flying Fleet duo of junior Jack West and sophomore Wilson Mathewes won the next game to force a tiebreaker that they won 7-4 to give the visitors a 2-1 advantage heading into singles.
Pradilla-Genest improved to 4-2 paired together.
The Fleet took the momentum from the doubles rally to win 5-of-6 singles matches to pull away for the victory.
Radu posted the Bulldogs second team point at the fifth singles position in the lineup. Radu won in straight sets – 6-2, 6-0 – to increase his dual match record to 3-1.
Velasco (5-1) won his first set at No. 2 in an attempt to remain undefeated but Mattewes rallied for the 4-6, 6-4, 10-5 marathon conquest.
Barton next plays a league tilt at Coker College in Hartsville, S.C., on Monday at 2:30 p.m.
