by Cory Guinn
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – The Barton College men's tennis team suffered just its third loss in Conference Carolinas competition, falling 7-2 to rival University of Mount Olive on Tuesday afternoon at the John Neal Walker Tennis Center.
The Trojans took a 2-1 lead after the conclusion of doubles play as Barton's No.2 duo of senior Yaxi Pintado and freshman Ermanno Galimberti won 8-5 in their first match as a team.
Mount Olive clinched the match decision with three consecutive wins to open singles play as Bulldog sophomore Jesus Gil was the only member of the team to come away with a win, earning an 8-4 triumph at No. 6 with the match already decided.
After the conclusion of league play, the Bulldogs will now wait for the rest of the conference members to compete to decide seeding for the postseason. Barton currently sits in fourth place overall and has only matches against NCAA Division I East Carolina University and UNC Charlotte left on the schedule.
Mount Olive 7, Barton 2
Singles:
1. Ogulcan Deniz (UMO-M) def. Julian Bosch (BARTON) 6-3, 6-3
2. Jose Cortijos (UMO-M) def. Jake McCartney (BARTON) 8-4
3. Martin Moser (UMO-M) def. Yaxi Pintado (BARTON) 6-4, 6-1
4. Martim Sousa (UMO-M) def. Rory Gaydon (BARTON) 8-5
5. Jack Middleton (UMO-M) def. Ermanno Galimberti (BARTON) 6-0, 6-4
6. Jesus Gil (BARTON) def. Jacob Clarke (UMO-M) 8-4
Doubles:
1. Jose Cortijos/Martim Sousa (UMO-M) def. Julian Bosch/Jake McCartney (BARTON) 8-4
2. Yaxi Pintado/Ermanno Galimberti (BARTON) def. Ogulcan Deniz/Martin Moser (UMO-M) 8-5
3. Jack Middleton/Juan Arbelaez (UMO-M) def. Rory Gaydon/Jesus Gil (BARTON) 8-4
Records:
Barton College 11-6, 7-3 CC
University of Mount Olive 12-3, 8-1 CC
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,5,3,2,6,4)
