NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Salisbury 5, Piedmont 4
Records: Salisbury, 8-1; Piedmont, 12-5

DEMOREST, Ga. - The Piedmont men's tennis team returned home from Orlando and fell 5-4 in a hard-fought match against Salisbury on Monday afternoon in Demorest.

On a chilly and windy afternoon, the Lions allowed the Sea Gulls to establish the momentum in doubles and were unable to push across enough singles lines to make up the difference in the close loss.

Salisbury was able to put the first two points of the match on the board, winning 8-4 at both No. 3 and No. 1 to jump ahead. However, Piedmont fought back at No. 2, as Simon Johnstone and Silas Sandles were able to prevail in a tiebreaker, 8-7 (4) to give the Lions some momentum going to singles.


 

Simon and Silas get it done in the breaker at 2 and our first point is on the board!

Salisbury 2, Piedmont 1 pic.twitter.com/SHRmN3oleG

— Piedmont Men's Tennis (@PiedmontMTennis) March 18, 2024

With the women's match occurring simultaneously, Piedmont put its No. 1 through No. 3 singles on the courts first. 

The Sea Gulls were able to push their lead to 3-1 with a straight set victory at No. 3. But once again, the Lions provided resistance, with Yannick Wassmer Navarro and Bryce VanOrder emerging with first-set tiebreak wins.

Unfortunately, while VanOrder and Wassmer Navarro were battling in second sets, the Sea Gulls were able to win at No. 2 singles over VanOrder in three sets before a win at No. 4 in straights got the clinch.

From that point forward, Piedmont fought back, as Wassmer Navarro clawed back and won, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-4 at No. 1.

The last two matches on court also went the way of the Lions, with Mark Backeberg winning, 6-1, 7-6 (7) and Sandles picking up a win at No. 6 by a 6-4, 6-4 margin.

Up next, the Lions will have almost two weeks off from competition before battling LaGrange on the road next Friday, March 29 at 4 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
- The Sea Gulls were able to take 2-of-3 doubles matches, proving to be the difference as the two teams split the six singles lines, 3-3.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Sandles was the lone Lion to pick up a doubles and singles win on Monday.

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.