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Home Of The Piedmont University Lions
Rohan Kavali
Brian Savage
3
Covenant COVENANT (8-9, 0-1 CCS)
4
Winner Piedmont PUM (10-6, 3-0 CCS)
Covenant COVENANT
(8-9, 0-1 CCS)
3
Final
4
Piedmont PUM
(10-6, 3-0 CCS)
Winner

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

Kavali Wins Three-Set Clincher to Lift Men's Tennis to Dramatic 4-3 Victory Against Covenant

NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 4, Covenant 3
Records: Piedmont, 10-6 (3-0 CCS); Covenant, 8-9 (0-1 CCS)

DEMOREST, Ga. - For the second time this week, Rohan Kavali met the moment, this time lifting Piedmont men's tennis past rival Covenant in a dramatic 4-3 win on a sunny late March Saturday in Demorest.


 

After winning a third set match tiebreak to push the Lions across the line against Berry on Tuesday, this time Kavali had to grit his way through a full third set. However, in a dramatic match at No. 4 singles that mirrored the overall match between the two teams, Kavali overcame the adversity and came out on top, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.



 

The match got off to an inauspicious start for the Lions, with the Scots claiming the doubles point thanks to a pair of 6-3 wins at No. 3 and No. 2. The No. 1 doubles team pushed the top duo for Covenant, but the Scots emerged victorious there as well, winning 7-5.

However, the momentum flipped immediately in singles as Mark Backeberg raced out to a 5-0 first set lead at No. 1 and his opponent was forced to retire, quickly evening the match at 1-1. 

Caleb McElveen was dominant at No. 6, dropping just one game on his way to a 6-1, 6-0 win to give Piedmont its first lead at 2-1.


 

After Covenant banked a win at No. 2 to pull even, Horacio Rodriguez won a hard-fought win (6-4, 6-4) at No. 4 to put the Lions one match away from clinching. 

That set the stage for Kavali, who was still in the battle, along with Leyton Dunn at No. 3, who had lost a marathon first set tiebreak.

Kavali battled back after dropping his opening set, 6-3, to square the match at a set apiece with a 6-4 second set win. The match was on his racket up a double break at 5-2. But the Scots did not go quietly, fighting off a number of match points before Kavali put the match away on his serve.

By the time the match was clinched, Dunn had also battled back to win the second set and had just started his third, where the Scots claimed the final win of the day.

Up next, the Lions will have a home match on Tuesday, April 7 at 10:30 a.m. against LaGrange.

TURNING POINT:
- Kavali was there in the clutch again, winning a marathon match-clincher at No. 4 (3-6, 6-3, 6-4).

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- McElveen was dominant at No. 6, rolling to a 6-1, 6-0 win to keep the momentum on Piedmont's side.

NEWS AND NOTES:
- Piedmont has now won back-to-back home matches against Covenant

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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