The rain did not dampen the spirits of the Liberty men’s tennis team as it swept Jacksonville State 4-0 in the ASUN Quarterfinal on April 14, claiming a spot in the semifinal match.
The day started with the doubles matches, where the teams of seniors Josh Wilson and Christiaan Worst, junior Deji Thomas-Smith and freshman Luis Felipe Miguel and juniors Raphael Marquis Da Silva and Thando Longwe-Smit took the first point for the Flames. Worst would go on to defeat Jacksonville’s Matei Palcau in two sets in the singles competition, giving Liberty its second point.
Longwe-Smit would also sweep his singles game with sets boasting a 6-1 score apiece. Then, with a semifinal berth in reach, Beau Pelletier would secure the final point for Liberty to advance, claiming a 6-2 and 6-1 win over Jacksonville’s Lucius Soller. Other matches of the day were not played to completion, as tournament matches end once one team has four points.
The Flames celebrated in front of the home crowd, saying goodbye to their supporters in the final home match of the season.
Liberty will now travel to the University of North Florida on Friday, April 21 to take on UNF for a bid into the ASUN Final, while FGCU and Kennesaw will be playing for the other Finals slot. All remaining matches of the ASUN tournament will be played at UNF.
If the Flames manage to claim the ASUN title, they will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Tennis Championships, which will start on May 17. Last year marked Liberty’s second time playing in the tournament. The team looks hopeful for this year, with plenty of fire in their eyes, hungry for a national title.
Wilson is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion