NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 7, LaGrange 2
Records: Piedmont, 7-10 (5-1 USA South); LaGrange, 4-3 (3-2 USA South)

LaGRANGE, Ga. - The Piedmont men's tennis team rallied for a pair of big doubles wins and used the momentum to race past LaGrange, 7-2, for a key road victory to conclude its conference slate.

The Lions finish their USA South regular season with a 5-1 record after Sunday's win.

After the Panthers began the day with an 8-4 victory at No. 1 doubles, Piedmont emerged victorious in a couple of hard-fought matches at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, winning both in tiebreakers. First, the No. 2 team of HOUSTON MEDLOCK and CHASE MORRIS won their breaker, 7-1, to win 8-7 and tie the score at 1-all. Then, to completely change the momentum of the match, the Lions' No. 3 doubles team of CHRIS BALE and PATRICK DEMPSEY fought back from down 7-2 to force a breaker, which they won, 7-5.

Leading 2-1 heading into singles, Piedmont capitalized as Bale continued his strong play with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 3 singles. However, LaGrange was able to rally back with a win at No. 1 to cut its deficit to 3-2 in the match. 

Undeterred, the Lions received a clean, two-set win from SILAS SANDLES (6-2, 6-1) at No. 5 before fellow freshman BRYCE VANORDER fought back after dropping the first set to earn the clincher (4-6, 6-4, 6-1) at No. 2 singles.

With the match in hand, Piedmont closed things out in style with two-set wins from Morris (6-2, 6-4) and Dempsey (6-4, 6-4) at No. 5 and No. 6..

Up next, the Lions will conclude its regular season tomorrow with a road match against Johnson University (Tenn.) scheduled for 4 p.m.

Piedmont will then move to postseason play, traveling to take on Covenant for the West Division Championship next Saturday, April 24 at 1 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
- The Lions were able to win tiebreakers at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to turn the momentum of the match heading to singles.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- CHRIS BALE partnered with PATRICK DEMPSEY and ralliled back from down 7-2 to win at No. 3 doubles before quickly dispatching his singles opponent in two sets.
- BRYCE VANORDER came back from dropping the first set to win the second, 6-4, and then dominating the third set to clinch the victory for the Lions.

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