NEED TO KNOW:
Match 1 Score: Piedmont 6, Wheaton 1
Match 2 Score: Piedmont 5, Millsaps 2
Record: Piedmont, 9-4

ORLANDO, Fla. - Piedmont men's tennis continued its strong play in Orlando, sweeping a pair of matches on Tuesday against Wheaton (Ill.) and Millsaps.

Match 1: Piedmont 6, Wheaton 1

In a competitive doubles matchup, the Lions were able to emerge victorious at No. 2 and No. 3 to claim the first point of the match.

The No. 3 team of Amir Latipov and Simon Johnstone clinched first, winning 6-3 before the No. 2 team of Yannick Wassmer Navarro and Charles Parnell did the same at No. 2.

The No. 1 team of Connor Phelps and Leyton Dunn battled but fell in a non-counting tiebreaker 7-6 (1).

Singles action saw the bottom of the Piedmont lineup do the damage with dominant performances to allow it to clinch at 4-0 relatively quickly.

Rohan Kavali won first, cruising 6-0, 6-1 at No. 6 while Phelps won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 5.

Mark Backeberg took home the clinching match, with a slightly more competitive 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 4.

The No. 1 through No. 3 singles matches were all hard fought, with the Lions coming away with wins in two of them, even with the outcome decided.

The Thunder were able to grab their lone point of the match with a win at No. 2. However, Wassmer Navarro (6-4, 7-6 (4)) and Parnell (3-6, 6-2, 6-3) were able to claw their way to victories at No. 1 and No. 3, respectively.

Match 2: Piedmont 5, Millsaps 2

Playing their fourth match this season against an SAA opponent, the Lions were able to deliver their first win, taking down the Millsaps Majors 5-2 to close out the evening.

Keeping the same doubles teams in the same spots as the Wheaton match, the results were similar with the Lions taking the doubles point.

Latipov and Johnstone this time were able to cruise to a 6-1 and finish first. Then, it was Wassmer Navarro and Parnell clinching the point with a 6-4 win. The duo has now lost just once in six matches as doubles partners.

Although Millsaps was able to grab a win at No. 1 doubles, it did not count toward the team score.

Piedmont once again used the bottom of the lineup to run to a 4-0 clinch.

This time, it was freshman Horacio Rodriguez, who did not drop a game at No. 6. Kavali moved up to the No. 5 slot for this match and was undeterred, rolling 6-1, 6-2 at No, 5.

For the second time on Tuesday, Backeberg brought home the clinch, battling through a hard-fought first set and dominating the second for a 6-4, 6-1 triumph at No. 4.

With the win on the board, the Lions were locked in tight battles at No. 1 through No. 3.

That group of matches was highlighted by a lengthy third-set match tiebreak win from Wassmer Navarro (6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10).

The Majors were able to crack the scoreboard with wins at No. 3 and No. 3 to end the evening.

Up next, the Lions will take on Carthage tomorrow, March 12 at 6:30 p.m. to close out its Orlando Spring Break trip.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Backeberg won twice at No. 4, clinching both matches at 4-0 for the Lions.
- Kavali won once at No. 6 and again at No. 5 in dominant fashion.
- Wassmer Navarro and Parnell are now 5-1 as doubles partners, with the only loss coming to opponents from No. 5 Case Western Reserve.

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