by Kevin Buczek
BRISTOL, Tenn.-Sophomores Max Leppert and Jorge Pradilla were the only Bulldogs to produce singles wins in a 6-3 Conference Carolinas men's tennis dual match loss at King College on Friday afternoon at the King Tennis Courts.
The King Tornado (9-5 Overall, 3-3 Conf.) won a second straight match to begin April while the Bulldogs (5-10, 3-6) suffered a second straight road loss to start the final month of the season.
The freshman duo of Rafael Ruiz Velasco and Mihnea Tomos won a doubles match for Barton but the hosts won the other two to take a 2-1 lead into singles. Velasco-Tomos (1-0) won 8-2 as partners for the first time this season.
Leppert (7-5) rallied to win the second singles match 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1 against Pablo Vidal, a Third Team All-Conference honoree in 2012. Pradilla (7-8) held on for a 6-1, 7-6 (3) victory in the third flight. Leppert and Pradilla are tied for second on the team with seven singles wins on the season behind Velasco's nine victories.
Velasco and freshman Nick Genest faltered in a couple close singles tilts that could have swayed the match in favor of the Bulldogs. Velasco (9-6) lost 7-6 (3), 6-3 to King's top player in Rodrigo Avila, who improved to 12-3 on the season. Genest (6-8) had the most heartbreaking defeat losing a three-set marathon by a score of 6-7 (4), 6-4, 10-8.
Barton next plays NAIA foe Milligan College on Saturday at Noon to wrap up its weekend trip to Tennessee.
