University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Photo by: Adrian Etheridge
Men's Tennis Opens Conference Season With Two Matches This Weekend
03.22.2019 | Men's Tennis
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville men's tennis will open their Big South Conference season on March 23-24 versus Radford and Winthrop.
The Bulldogs will host Radford at the Asheville Racquet Club Downtown on Saturday, March 23. The match is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. A day later, the Bulldogs will travel to Rock Hill, S.C. to face the Eagles of Winthrop at 1 p.m.
UNC Asheville is 13-2 overall on the season. The Bulldogs are currently an undefeated 6-0 at home and own a 5-2 record away from home.
BULLDOG BITES
Last Time Out
The Bulldogs closed out their non-conference portion of the schedule with a five-day Florida road trip. The Bulldogs picked up a 4-2 win over Stetson and a 4-0 win over FGCU.
UNC Asheville closed the trip with a 4-3 neutral site win against Boston University on Friday, March 15.
Boston University took the early advantage by winning the doubles point. The Terriers got two 6-3 wins at No. 2 and No. 3 to down the Bulldogs and take a 1-0 lead.
In singles, Oli Nolan evened the match for the Bulldogs with a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 2. Charlie Morkel, at No. 4, gave the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Henry Patten continued his success with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 1 to make the score 3-1.
Freshman Quinn Fender, playing at No. 6, dropped his first set 6-4, but dominated set two 6-1 to force the decisive third set. Fender would clinch the match for the Bulldogs with a 6-2 set three victory for UNC Asheville's 13th win of the season.
Breaking Down the Bulldogs
Two-time Big South Player of the Year Henry Patten leads the Bulldogs with nine wins in singles on the season. Patten has played all of his matches at No. 1.
Sirawit Daosaengsawang, Leo Bierbaum, Oli Nolan and Charlie Morkel all follow with eight wins each in singles on the season. Bierbaum has played mainly No. 4-6, while Daosaengsawang has played in the 1-4 singles flights this season thus far. Nolan has played all his matches at No. 1-2, and Morkel has played No. 1-4.
In doubles, Oli Nolan and Henry Patten are an impressive 7-0 in the spring season. Despite still being undefeated on the year the pairing is now ranked second nationally after spending much of the spring ranked No. 1.
Nolan and Patten went undefeated playing together during the fall and won three titles including the national championship victory at the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex.
Scouting Radford
The Highlanders are 10-2 on the season. They have fallen to UNC Greensboro and College of Charleston. They are 2-0 in the Big South Conference after defeating Hampton, 4-0, in a road matchup, and downing Longwood, 4-3, at home.
Scouting Winthrop
Winthrop is 7-6 on the season. They are 2-1 in the Big South Conference. The Eagles defeated Hampton and USC Upstate on the road and then fell to Longwood at the Rock Hill Tennis Center.
Up Next
UNC Asheville will return home to host USC Upstate on Wednesday, March 27, at 3 p.m. at the Asheville Racquet Club Downtown.
**Story by External Relations Intern Aaron Cantrell**
The Bulldogs will host Radford at the Asheville Racquet Club Downtown on Saturday, March 23. The match is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. A day later, the Bulldogs will travel to Rock Hill, S.C. to face the Eagles of Winthrop at 1 p.m.
UNC Asheville is 13-2 overall on the season. The Bulldogs are currently an undefeated 6-0 at home and own a 5-2 record away from home.
BULLDOG BITES
Last Time Out
The Bulldogs closed out their non-conference portion of the schedule with a five-day Florida road trip. The Bulldogs picked up a 4-2 win over Stetson and a 4-0 win over FGCU.
UNC Asheville closed the trip with a 4-3 neutral site win against Boston University on Friday, March 15.
Boston University took the early advantage by winning the doubles point. The Terriers got two 6-3 wins at No. 2 and No. 3 to down the Bulldogs and take a 1-0 lead.
In singles, Oli Nolan evened the match for the Bulldogs with a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 2. Charlie Morkel, at No. 4, gave the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Henry Patten continued his success with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 1 to make the score 3-1.
Freshman Quinn Fender, playing at No. 6, dropped his first set 6-4, but dominated set two 6-1 to force the decisive third set. Fender would clinch the match for the Bulldogs with a 6-2 set three victory for UNC Asheville's 13th win of the season.
Breaking Down the Bulldogs
Two-time Big South Player of the Year Henry Patten leads the Bulldogs with nine wins in singles on the season. Patten has played all of his matches at No. 1.
Sirawit Daosaengsawang, Leo Bierbaum, Oli Nolan and Charlie Morkel all follow with eight wins each in singles on the season. Bierbaum has played mainly No. 4-6, while Daosaengsawang has played in the 1-4 singles flights this season thus far. Nolan has played all his matches at No. 1-2, and Morkel has played No. 1-4.
In doubles, Oli Nolan and Henry Patten are an impressive 7-0 in the spring season. Despite still being undefeated on the year the pairing is now ranked second nationally after spending much of the spring ranked No. 1.
Nolan and Patten went undefeated playing together during the fall and won three titles including the national championship victory at the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex.
Scouting Radford
The Highlanders are 10-2 on the season. They have fallen to UNC Greensboro and College of Charleston. They are 2-0 in the Big South Conference after defeating Hampton, 4-0, in a road matchup, and downing Longwood, 4-3, at home.
Scouting Winthrop
Winthrop is 7-6 on the season. They are 2-1 in the Big South Conference. The Eagles defeated Hampton and USC Upstate on the road and then fell to Longwood at the Rock Hill Tennis Center.
Up Next
UNC Asheville will return home to host USC Upstate on Wednesday, March 27, at 3 p.m. at the Asheville Racquet Club Downtown.
**Story by External Relations Intern Aaron Cantrell**
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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