GREENSBORO, N.C. - UNC Greensboro's men's tennis team swept through doubles play and won four of the six singles matches in taking a 5-2 win over Gardner-Webb at the Starmount Forest Country Club to open the spring slate Saturday.
The Spartans (1-0) got wins at all three doubles positions to take an early 1-0 team lead. Arsel Kumdereli paired with reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year Orcun Seyrek for a win over Evgeny Slesarev and Rafael Altmayer at No. 1, 8-6.
Timion Meijs and William John teamed up for an 8-4 win over the Bulldogs' Adam Knutsson-Sunblad and Roman Piftor at No. 2. Yaroslav Litus and Jacob Wright completed the sweep with a hard-fought, 9-8 (1) win over Andrew Veeder and Jeremie Tardif at No. 3.
In singles play, UNCG got wins at Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 6. Kumdereli downed Knutsson-Sunblad at No. 2, 6-2, 6-3. Wright dropped Veeder at No. 3, 6-1, 6-4, while Litus picked up a win at No. 4 over Altmayer, 6-2, 6-4. Meijs, a true freshman, earned a 7-5, 6-1 win over Tardif at No. 6.
Gardner-Webb (0-4) picked up its singles victories at Nos. 1 and 5. At No. 1, Slesarev rallied to drop Seyrek, 1-6, 7-6 (5), 1-0 (7). Piftor grabbed a 6-4, 6-2 win over John at No. 5.
The Spartans are back in action Sunday at the UNCG Tennis Courts on the UNCG campus, where they will host Winston-Salem State at 2 p.m.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 5, Gardner-Webb 2
Doubles
1. Arsel Kumdereli/Orcun Seyrek (UNCG) d. Evgeny Slesarev/Rafael
Altmayer (GWU), 8-6
2. Timion Meijs/William John (UNCG) d. Adam Knutsson-Sunblad/Roman
Piftor (GWU), 8-4
3. Yaroslav Litus/Jacob Wright (UNCG) d. Andrew Veeder/Jeremie
Tardif (GWU), 9-8 (1)
Singles
1. Slesarev (GWU) d. Seyrek (UNCG), 1-6, 7-6 (5), 1-0 (7)
2. Kumdereli (UNCG) d. Knutsson-Sunblad (GWU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Wright (UNCG) d. Veeder (GWU), 6-1, 6-4
4. Litus (UNCG) d. Altmayer (GWU), 6-2, 6-4
5. Piftor (GWU) d. John (UNCG), 6-4, 6-2
6. Meijs (UNCG) d. Tardif (GWU), 7-5, 6-1
- UNCG -