by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Freshman Yaxi Pintado won his first collegiate singles match to pull host Barton College within one point of victory but Stephen Miller and Jimmy Molina gutted out a pair of three-set wins to rally Pfeiffer University to a dramatic 5-4 Conference Carolinas men's tennis victory on Saturday afternoon at the Barton Tennis Complex.
Miller trailed 4-3 to sophomore Daniel Radu in the third set before winning the next three games to rally and knot the match at 4-4. Miller won 4-6, 6-3 and 6-4.
Molina then rallied in both the third set and decisive tiebreaker to complete the Falcons comeback. Sophomore Nick Genest served for the match leading 5-4 in the third but Molina won the next two games to jump in front. Genest fought back and won the next game to force the tiebreaker. Genest kept the momentum taking a 4-2 lead in the race to 7 points but Molina rallied back one more time winning the next four points to have a couple chances at match point. Genest answered one time but Molina took the next point to end the marathon match winning 4-6, 7-6 (5) and 7-6 (5).
Pfeiffer improved to 9-3 overall and 2-2 in the league. Barton fell to 8-4 and 1-3.
All three doubles matches were decided by slim 8-6 margins. The Falcons took the first and third flights to take a 2-1 lead into singles. Radu and junior Max Leppert tallied the Bulldogs only win in the middle match.
BC fought back by winning three of the first four singles matches. Leppert (7-3) first won the third flight 6-2, 6-1 before freshman Jack McCartney (9-1) tied the match at 3-3 by fighting back in the second tier by scores of 4-6, 6-4 and 6-3.
Loic Minery – a First Team All-Conference honoree last season – had the Falcons lone win during that span atop the lineup winning 6-3, 6-2.
Pintado then outlasted his opponent at No. 6 to give the Bulldogs their fourth team point. Pintado (1-0) won in three sets by scores of 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Barton hosts Randolph-Macon College on Monday at 4 p.m.
