by Benny Benton
HICKORY, N.C. – Barton College held a 2-1 advantage after doubles play, but Lenoir-Rhyne rallied in singles to take a 5-4 victory over the Bulldogs in non-conference tennis action Saturday.
The Bears (7-7) took advantage of a shuffled lineup for BC in the absence of its No. 1 singles player, Jake McCartney, and took wins in the top three singles spots and at No. 6.
Playing together for the first time in two years, Rafael Ruiz Velasco and Max Leppert earned a win for the Bulldogs (5-4) at No. 1 doubles, 8-4, as did Nick Genest and Yaxi Pintado at No. 2 doubles, also by an 8-4 score.
However, Velasco, Leppert and Genest all suffered setbacks in the top three singles positions while playing a slot higher than normal. Velasco did rally to win his second set against Marvin Mueller and force a third set, but fell 6-4 in the decisive frame.
The Bears also claimed No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles, where BC freshman Robert Taylor was making just his second career start.
Junior Daniel Radu, who teamed with Taylor in the doubles contest, claimed one of the two Barton singles wins by a 6-3, 6-2 margin in the No. 4 slot. Pintado accounted for the other victory, that one coming at No. 5 by a 6-3, 7-6 score. Pintado's win was his fourth in a row.
Barton returns home to host William Peace University on Tuesday in a match that was rained out earlier this month.
LENOIR-RHYNE 5, BARTON 4
Singles
1. Marvin Mueller (LR) def. Rafael Ruiz Velasco (BARTON) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
2. Robin Hochguertel (LR) def. Max Leppert (BARTON) 6-4, 6-4
3. Patrick Bauer (LR) def. Nick Genest (BARTON) 6-4, 6-2
4. Daniel Radu (BARTON) def. Filip Dobrosavljevic (LR) 6-3, 6-2
5. Yaxi Pintado (BARTON) def. John Christian Reid (LR) 6-3, 7-6
6. Matthew Ledford (LR) def. Robert Taylor (BARTON) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles
1. Rafael Ruiz Velasco/Max Leppert (BARTON) def. Marvin Mueller/Patrick Bauer (LR) 8-4
2. Nick Genest/Yaxi Pintado (BARTON) def. Filip Dobrosavljevic/Matthew Ledford (LR) 8-4
3. Robin Hochguertel/John Christian Reid (LR) def. Daniel Radu/Robert Taylor (BARTON) 8-3
Records
Barton 5-4
Lenoir-Rhyne 7-7
