Flames Blank Aggies 7-0

Liberty men's tennis earned its first 7-0 victory of 2019, blanking the visiting North Carolina A&T Aggies, Saturday evening at Crosswhite Athletic Club.

The Flames have won three of their last four matches and now stand at 4-6 on the season. Liberty also moves to 3-0 at home. The Aggies are 0-8 following the loss.

Liberty's dominant effort saw the hosts lose only two games in doubles and win all six singles bouts in two sets. The Flames are now 16-0 all-time against the Aggies.

Liberty 7, North Carolina A&T 0

Singles Competition
1. Josh Wilson (LIBERTYM) def. GOENAGA, Jorge (NCATM) 6-3, 6-2
2. Eddie Gutierrez (LIBERTYM) def. FAULKENBURY, Hayden (NCATM) 6-2, 6-1
3. Ian Sturgill (LIBERTYM) def. ARDUH, Nicolas (NCATM) 6-1, 6-0
4. Chase Burton (LIBERTYM) def. IVANOV, Vasil (NCATM) 6-3, 6-3
5. Steve Mundt (LIBERTYM) def. LAWRENCE, Jordan (NCATM) 6-0, 6-2
6. Vince Salas (LIBERTYM) def. MARTINO, Nolan (NCATM) 7-5, 6-3

Doubles Competition
1. Josh Wilson/Ian Sturgill (LIBERTYM) def. ARDUH, Nicolas/IVANOV, Vasil (NCATM) 6-1
2. Steve Mundt/Vince Salas (LIBERTYM) def. FAULKENBURY, Hayden/GOENAGA, Jorge (NCATM)
6-1
3. William Barker/Chase Burton (LIBERTYM) def. LAWRENCE, Jordan/MARTINO, Nolan (NCATM) 6-0

Liberty 4-6
North Carolina A&T 0-8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,3,2,4,1,6)
T-2:38

Thoughts From Head Coach Derek Schwandt 
"Our guys responded well to yesterday's match. We are building some strong discipline and character."

 

How It Happened

• The Flames' dominant doubles session featured a pair of 6-1 wins and a 6-0 blanking which came from William Barker and Chase Burton on court three over Jordan Lawrence and Nolan Martino. At No. 2 doubles, Steve Mundt and Vince Salas triumphed 6-1 against Hayden Faulkenbury and Jorge Goenaga. Mundt and Salas are a perfect 4-0 on the year.
• Josh Wilson and Ian Sturgill of Liberty (No. 1 doubles) also won 6-1 against Nicolas Arduh and Vasil Ivanov, completing the doubles sweep.
• Liberty's dominance continued into singles, with Mundt winning his third straight solo bout and second in as many days, a 6-0, 6-2 decision over Lawrence on court five.
• Sturgill only needed 13 total games to take down Arduh (6-1, 6-0) at No. 3 singles. Flames senior captain Eddie Gutierrez moved into sixth place all-time in program history with his 64th singles victory, a two-set win against Faulkenbury (6-2, 6-1). Gutierrez's victory made it 4-0 Flames, officially sealing the outcome.
• At No. 4 singles, Burton also won in straight sets (6-3, 6-3) versus Ivanov for his fourth triumph of the spring and 12th of 2018-19. Shortly after that victory, Wilson (Liberty) wrapped up a 6-3, 6-2 win of his own on court one against Goenaga (NC A&T). It was the Reigate, United Kingdom native's first No. 1 singles win of his young career.
• The Flames' Salas, seeing his first singles action of the spring, brought the final score to 7-0 with his 7-5, 6-3 decision over Martino.

 

Next Up

• Liberty will have another quick turnaround, playing at Elon (6-2), Tuesday. Match time between the Flames and Phoenix is pegged for 2:30 p.m. at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center in Elon, N.C.
• Elon has won nine of the 11 all-time meetings between the two schools. They last squared off on Feb. 8, 2017, a match won by the Phoenix.