by Cory Guinn
WILSON, N.C. – The Barton men's tennis team won its 2017 home opener, defeating Chowan University 5-4 at the Barton Tennis Complex on Tuesday afternoon.
Chowan entered the match ranked No. 3 overall in the Atlantic Region but trailed 2-1 to Barton after the conclusion of doubles play.
Barton's No. 3 doubles duo of freshman Ermanno Galimberti and senior McKennon Griffin won 8-2, followed by an 8-6 win at No. 1 doubles by the tandem of freshman Julian Bosch and sophomore Jesus Gil. Chowan's No. 2 doubles team of Farid Hajizada and Adi Kaliakperov, ranked No. 8 in the Atlantic Region, won the Hawks' lone point.
The Hawks quickly took a 3-2 lead in the match with wins at No. 1 and No. 5 before Barton used a 6-4, 6-2 win by Galimberti, the first of his career, at No. 3 to tie the match at three points apiece. Kaliakperov, the No. 5 ranked player in the Atlantic and Mateusz Izycki, the No. 12 Atlantic Region singles player, earned points for CU.
Raydon also collected his first career win as Barton's No. 4 singles player by a score of 6-4, 6-2 as fellow freshman Alexandre Alves sealed the Bulldogs' first victory of the season with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-2) decision at No. 6. The Hawks' final point came with a win in the No. 5 position.
Barton travels to Tigerville, S.C. for its first Conference Carolinas contest of the season on Friday, Feb. 24 against North Greenville University.
Barton 5, Chowan 4
Singles:
1. KALIAKPEROV,Adi (CU-B) def. Julian Bosch (BARTON) 6-4, 6-1
2. IZYCKI,Mateusz (CU-B) def. Yaxi Pintado (BARTON) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
3. Rory Gaydon (BARTON) def. YEH,Mariano (CU-B) 7-5, 6-0
4. Ermanno Galimberti (BARTON) def. GONCALVES,Rafael (CU-B) 6-4, 6-2
5. HAJIZADA,Farid (CU-B) def. Jesus Gil (BARTON) 6-3, 6-3
6. Alexandre Alves (BARTON) def. PROULX,Louis (CU-B) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
Doubles:
1. Julian Bosch/Jesus Gil (BARTON) def. IZYCKI,Mateusz/YEH,Mariano (CU-B) 8-6
2. HAJIZADA,Farid/KALIAKPEROV,Adi (CU-B) def. Rory Gaydon/Yaxi Pintado (BARTON) 9-7
3. Ermanno Galimberti/McKennon Griffin (BARTON) def. GONCALVES,Rafael/PROULX,Louis (CU-B) 8-2
Records:
Chowan 1-2; Regional ranking #3
Barton College 1-3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,5,4,3,6,2)
*Chowan competes in the Atlantic Region
