On a windy Friday night under the lights, the No. 66-ranked Liberty Flames were able to use the elements to their advantage to get past the Kennesaw State Owls 7-0 at home.

The Flames improve to 7-8 overall and 2-0 in the ASUN. The Owls fall to 7-5 and 0-1 in league play after dropping their ASUN opener at the Liberty Tennis Complex.

The Flames earned the crucial doubles point with victories on court one and two. Liberty won the first three singles matches on courts three, six and two to clinch the win and added two more matches to earn the sweep.

The Flames move to 5-1 all-time against the Owls.

Friday’s match was the first ASUN contest since Liberty hosted Queens Jan. 25, winning that match 6-1. Liberty will seek its first 3-0 ASUN start since 2021 when the Flames went 6-0 in conference play.

The match for Liberty is the first of a three-match weekend for the Flames as they travel to Eastern Kentucky Saturday and Lipscomb on Sunday.

Thoughts From Head Coach Derek Schwandt
“The team brought strong energy in tough conditions. We are excited to build on this match.”

#66 Liberty 7, Kennesaw State 0

Singles Competition

1. Josh Wilson (LIBERTYM) def. Raul Garcia (KSUM) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
2. R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) def. Harvey Conway (KSUM) 6-3, 6-3
3. Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) def. Seru Tezuka (KSUM) 6-1, 6-3
4. Deji Thomas-Smith (LIBERTYM) def. Hugo Salmeron (KSUM) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3)
5. Beau Pelletier (LIBERTYM) def. Anthony Weingarten (KSUM) 7-5, 6-2
6. Luis Felipe Miguel (LIBERTYM) def. David Leon (KSUM) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles Competition

1. #74 Josh Wilson/Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) def. Harvey Conway/Raul Garcia (KSUM) 6-2
2. Deji Thomas-Smith/Luis Felipe Miguel (LIBERTYM) def. David Leon/Hugo Salmeron (KSUM) 6-3
3. R. Marques Da Silva/Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) vs. Anthony Weingarten/Seru Tezuka (KSUM) 3-5, unfinished

Liberty 7-8, 2-0 ASUN; National ranking #66
Kennesaw State 7-5, 0-1 ASUN
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (3,6,2,5,4,1)
Official: A Svec/J Cohen T-2:45

How It Happened
• Liberty captured the first doubles match on court one, as the Flames’ senior duo of No. 74 Josh Wilson and Christiaan Worst took care of business in defeating Harvey Conway and Raul Garcia 6-2. The duo improves to 7-6 for the season and are 17-10 together for the year.
• The Flames took the doubles point on court two with their stellar combo of Luis Felipe Miguel and Deji Thomas-Smith taking down David Leon and Hugo Salmeron 6-3. The two move to 9-3 and continue to be instrumental pieces in Liberty’s matches this spring, winning seven straight doubles contests.
• Liberty snagged the first singles match thanks to Worst quickly handling Seru Tezuka on court three 6-1, 6-1. The senior goes to 8-6 this spring.
• The Flames bumped the lead to 3-0 at No. 6 singles as Flames freshman Miguel continued to impress with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Leon. The freshman improves to 8-5 on the season.
• Liberty got the match-clinching fourth point on court two via Rafael Marques Da Sliva’s 6-3, 6-3 victory over Conway. Marques Da Silva gets to 3-4 on the season.
• Flames senior Beau Pelletier (5-5) added the fifth point on court five, topping Anthony Weingarten 7-5, 6-2
• Liberty’s Thomas-Smith notched the sixth point for Liberty, defeating Salmeron in a third set tiebreaker 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3).
• The final match to finish was a tight one on court one, that was neck-and-neck but ultimately ended with Wilson just edging Garcia 6-4, 7-6 (5). Wilson trailed 5-3 in the second set before coming back to prevail in a tiebreaker.

Next Up
• The Flames will play two ASUN road matches this weekend. The Flames are meeting Eastern Kentucky (3-11, 0-2 ASUN) at 3 p.m. Saturday night at the Greg Adams Tennis Center in Richmond, Ky. They will then face Lipscomb (4-8, 1-0 ASUN) at 7 p.m. Eastern, Sunday night. That match will be held at Vanderbilt’s Lummis Family Tennis Center in Nashville, Tenn.
• Liberty is looking to continue its undefeated record against both teams, as the Flames are currently 2-0 all-time against the Colonels and 4-0 facing the Bisons.

Main Photo at Top of Story: Christiaan Worst