Box Score NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 5, Shorter 2
Record: Piedmont, 1-1

ROME, Ga. - Piedmont men's tennis rebounded from Friday afternoon's season-opening loss with a decisive 5-2 win over Division II Shorter University on Saturday morning in Rome, Georgia.

The Lions were able to take a pair of hard-fought doubles matches at No. 1 and No. 2 to earn the doubles point before carrying the momentum into singles and taking four of the six matches to earn the team's first win of the 2024-25 season.

Shorter was able to come away with a 6-3 win at No. 3 doubles to begin the match. However, Piedmont was undeterred, coming away with two lengthy wins to take the set. 

First, it was the duo of Simon Johnstone and Yannick Wassmer Navarro, who prevailed 7-5 at No. 1 in their first ever match as a doubles team. Then, it was sophomores Mark Backeberg and Charles Parnell who emerged victorious in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (5), to earn the point for the Lions.

While the Hawks were able to bounce back with a pair of straight set wins at No. 1 and No. 4 to give the Lions a 2-1 deficit, it was all Piedmont from then on.

For the second straight day, Connor Phelps picked up a win at No. 6 singles, working through a tough first set before cruising in the second (7-5, 6-0). 

The final three matches all went to three sets and the Lions prevailed in all of them. First, it was Bryce VanOrder pulling out a 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 win at No. 3 to even up the score.

Then, it was the junior Wassmer Navarro who delivered the clincher, playing out a full third set to win, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 and give the Lions the victory.

Finally, after falling in a tough third-set match tiebreaker Friday, sophomore Rohan Kavali emerged with a 7-5, 3-6, 10-6 triumph to put an exclamation mark on the win.

Up next, the Lions will return to Rome for the ITA Regionals, beginning September 26.

Doubles Results:
1. Simon Johnstone/Yannick Wassmer Navarro (Piedmont) def. Sebastian Gamez/Carlos Tubio (Shorter) 7-5
2. Charles Parnell/Mark Backeberg (Piedmont) def. Federico Roman/Mario Molina (Shorter) 7-6 (5)
3. Agustin Yap/James Willingham (Shorter) def. Bryce VanOrder/Leyton Dunn (Piedmont) 6-3

Singles Results:
1. Sebastian Gamez (Shorter) def. Charles Parnell (Piedmont) 6-1, 6-3
2. Yannick Wassmer Navarro (Piedmont) def. Carlos Tubio (Shorter) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
3. Bryce VanOrder (Piedmont) def. Mario Molina (Shorter) 6-2, 3-6, 10-7
4. Agustin Yap (Shorter) def. Mark Backeberg (Piedmont) 7-5, 6-1
5. Rohan Kavali (Piedmont) def. Federico Roman (Shorter) 7-5, 3-6, 10-6
6. Connor Phelps (Piedmont) def. James Willingham (Shorter) 7-5, 6-0


TURNING POINT:
- Piedmont was able to gain the crucial doubles point by winning a pair of closely contested doubles matches at No. 1 and No. 2.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Wassmer Navarro won a crucial doubles match at No. 1 with Simon Johnstone before winning the clinching singles match at No. 2 in three sets.
- Phelps won in straight sets at No. 6 singles for the second consecutive day.

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 X: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions,  and Facebook.