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Mike Porcelli
0
Belhaven BELHAVEN (7-7)
5
Winner Piedmont PUM (15-5)
Belhaven BELHAVEN
(7-7)
0
Final
5
Piedmont PUM
(15-5)
Winner

Match Recap: Men's Tennis | | Joseph Garwood: Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

Lions Deliver 5-0 CCS Semifinal Sweep of Belhaven

NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 5, Belhaven 0
Records: Piedmont, 15-5; Belhaven, 7-7

ROME, Ga. - The Piedmont men's tennis team advanced to the CCS Tournament Final with a 5-0 semifinal sweep over Belhaven on Friday morning at the Rome Tennis Center.

The Lions swept all three doubles lines in convincing fashion and then took care of the Blazers with a pair of dominant second-set performances in singles to clinch the match.

Piedmont will now face off against Covenant on Saturday at 10 a.m. in the final.

On Friday, the Lions continued their outstanding play in doubles, as the duo of RYAN RAUGH and CONNOR PHELPS improved to 12-2 together on the season, cruising to an 8-0 shutout at No. 3 to put Piedmont on the board.


 

At No. 1 doubles, SILAS SANDLES and SIMON JOHNSTONE blitzed their opponents to race out to a big early advantage on their way to an 8-3 win at No. 1. Then, after surviving a hard-fought battle early in their match, the No. 2 team of YANNICK WASSMER NAVARRO and MIKE PORCELLI pulled away late, winning 8-4 to complete the doubles sweep and put the Lions up 3-0.



 

Singles action brought more solid play from the Lions, as they took four first sets to put Belhaven in a precarious position.

Phelps continued his dominant day, clinching first with a 6-1, 6-2 clinical performance at No. 5. Then, it was a race to see who could clinch first between Porcelli at No. 4 and Sandles at No. 6. After both juniors won grueling first sets, they each took control in the second.



 

In the end, it was Porcelli who earned the clinch, winning his match 6-4, 6-1 just ahead of Sandles, who had match point while up 7-5, 5-0 at No. 6.



 

At the conclusion of the match, Wassmer Navarro was up a set on CCS Player of the Year Gaspar Meda from the Blazers.

Up next, the Lions will look for revenge against Covenant as the teams will battle for the trophy. The match is scheduled for 10 a.m. and can be viewed through Playsight Interactive here or by going to the Playsight Interactive website, searching 'Watch Live' and typing 'Rome Tennis Center' in the search bar.

TURNING POINT:
- Porcelli and Wassmer Navarro pulled away to take the match at No. 2 doubles, putting the Blazers in a 3-0 hole going to singles.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Porcelli and Phelps each delivered a doubles and a singles victory with Porcelli earning the clinch.

NEWS AND NOTES:
- After the match, Piedmont's CCS Postseason Award Winners were recognized.
- Matt Williams was recognized for being named CCS Coach of the Year.
- YANNICK WASSMER NAVARRO earned All-CCS First Team honors.
- SIMON JOHNSTONE, Albertro Nunez and CONNOR PHELPS were named All-CCS Second Team. 

HOW TO FOLLOW:
- To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont University Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.
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