NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 8, Greenville 1
Score: Piedmont 5, Transylvania 4
Records: Piedmont, 2-0; Greenville, 2-2; Transylvania, 4-2

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Piedmont men's tennis team opened the 2024 season with a pair of victories Saturday winning 8-1 against Greenville before a gritty 5-4 victory against Transylvania. Bryce VanOrder clinched the match against the Pioneers earning a third set tiebreaker 10-7 to seal the win. 

Piedmont 8, Greenville 1

In the 2024 opener, Piedmont left no doubt against Greenville dropping only No. 1 doubles. The Lions were able to take two of three in doubles play before sweeping singles thanks to some gutsy play in third set tiebreakers. 

The duo of Bryce VanOrder and Michael Porcelli earned an 8-5 win at No. 2 doubles while at No. 3 it was Simon Johnstone and Silas Sandles who secured an 8-3 win to put Piedmont ahead 2-1 heading to singles. 

Johnstone and Sandles picked up where they left off a season ago as the duo improved to 10-2 in dual matches together during the first match of the day. 

Senior Jackson Traylor was first to claim a win in singles play battling back after dropping the first set for a 3-6, 6-0, 10-6 win. That was the first of four singles lines that would take a third set tiebreaker to decide. 

Sandles made quick work at No. 5 for a 7-5, 6-2 win while newcomer Mark Backeberg clinched at No. 4 winning 7-6, 6-2.

All three top singles lines took a third set with Porcelli, VanOrder and Yannick Wassmer Navarro grinding out impressive wins. Both Wassmer-Navarro at No. 1 and VanOrder at No. 2 won their third set 11-9. 

Piedmont 5, Transylvania, 4

The Lions fell behind 2-1 after doubles play as VanOrder and Porcelli picked up the lone win at No. 2, 8-5. 

Piedmont tied it up with a win at No. 6 singles by Sandles as he was 2-0 in singles play, while Backeberg also went 2-0 on the day at No. 4 singles, giving Piedmont the lead 3-2.

The Lions took a 4-2 lead with Connor Phelps securing a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 5 but from there it was once again a grueling battle for the Lions with the top three singles lines going to a third set tiebreaker. 

At No. 1, Wassmer-Navarro fought to the end falling 6-2, 5-7, 1-0 (14-12) in his second third set tiebreaker of the day. It came down to the final two pairings on the court at No. 2 and No. 3, but Transylvania tied the match at 4-4 with a win at No. 3, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8). 

It all came down to Bryce VanOrder at No. 2 who took the first set 7-6 before dropping the second 5-7. In the third set tiebreaker, VanOrder took a 5-1 lead and won 10-7 to clinch the victory for the Lions. 

Up next, the Lions will face Ohio Northern at 10 a.m. in Lexington, Ky.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--Bryce VanOrder clinched the match against Transylvania to keep the Lions undefeated as he won his third set tiebreaker 10-7. He was undefeated in doubles and singles play on Saturday.

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