University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

Photo by: Stefan Nolet
Bulldogs Down Tusculum in Wednesday Showdown
02.26.2020 | Men's Tennis
ASHEVILLE – UNC Asheville's men's tennis team returned home for just the second time this season, and took care of business against Tusculum, 7-0, Wednesday afternoon at the Asheville Racquet Club.
The Bulldogs (4-5) took advantage of pleasant early afternoon weather and played on the outdoor courts. They opened things up by taking the doubles point, as Charlie Morkel and Sirawit Daosaengsawang won at No. 2 and Oli Nolan teamed up with Harry Thursfield for a win at the No. 1 spot.
Three Bulldogs won their singles matches in straight sets to deliver Asheville the victory. Nolan finished first at No. 1, taking down David Akinpetide 6-4, 6-1 to get things started.
Playing at the No. 3 spot, Leo Bierbaum defeated Leon Huck, 6-3, 6-3, and Finlay Ray McFadyen followed with a 6-2, 6-4 triumph against Milan Jankovic at the No. 6 spot.
The final three matches went into a third set as dark clouds began to form and the temperature steadily dropped. After falling in the first set to Frank Bonacia, 6-4, Morkel rebounded with a 6-3 victory in the second set, and closed out with a 6-2 result in the third.
Daosaengsawang won his first set against Manuel Almeida, 6-2, at No. 4. He dropped the second set, 6-4, but came back strong to win the third.
Quinn Fender's match at No. 5 against Vadzim Raitsou came down to the wire as well. Fender won Set One, 6-2, but fell in the second, 6-4. The third set was a close one, but Fender emerged with a 7-5 victory.
"I thought we did a few things really well," head coach Tom Hand said. "The guys fought really hard. It certainly wasn't our best tennis, but we managed to do some of the things we talked about before the match in terms of competing and playing the way that we want to."
The Bulldogs return to action at home, Friday, with a 3 p.m. matchup against South Carolina State at the Asheville Racquet Club.
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UNC Asheville 7, Tusculum 0
SINGLES
1. NOLAN, Oli (AVL) def. David Akinpetide (TU) 6-4, 6-1
2. MORKEL, Charlie (AVL) def. Frank Bonacia (TU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
3. BIERBAUM, Leo (AVL) def. Leon Huck (TU) 6-3, 6-3
4. DAOSAENGSAWANG, Sira (AVL) def. Manuel Almeida (TU) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
5. FENDER, Quinn (AVL) def. Vadzim Raitsou (TU) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
6. MCFADYEN, Finlay Ray (AVL) def. Milan Jankovic (TU) 6-2, 6-4
DOUBLES
1. NOLAN, Oli/THURSFIELD, Harry (AVL) def. Leon Huck/David Akinpetide (TU) 6-4
2. MORKEL, Charlie/DAOSAENGSAWANG, Sira (AVL) def. Gabriel Yaguar/Jacco Mensinga (TU) 6-2
3. BIERBAUM, Leo/COLCLOUGH, Edward (AVL) vs. Frank Bonacia/Manuel Almeida (TU) unfinished
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (1,3,6,2,4,5)
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The Bulldogs (4-5) took advantage of pleasant early afternoon weather and played on the outdoor courts. They opened things up by taking the doubles point, as Charlie Morkel and Sirawit Daosaengsawang won at No. 2 and Oli Nolan teamed up with Harry Thursfield for a win at the No. 1 spot.
Three Bulldogs won their singles matches in straight sets to deliver Asheville the victory. Nolan finished first at No. 1, taking down David Akinpetide 6-4, 6-1 to get things started.
Playing at the No. 3 spot, Leo Bierbaum defeated Leon Huck, 6-3, 6-3, and Finlay Ray McFadyen followed with a 6-2, 6-4 triumph against Milan Jankovic at the No. 6 spot.
The final three matches went into a third set as dark clouds began to form and the temperature steadily dropped. After falling in the first set to Frank Bonacia, 6-4, Morkel rebounded with a 6-3 victory in the second set, and closed out with a 6-2 result in the third.
Daosaengsawang won his first set against Manuel Almeida, 6-2, at No. 4. He dropped the second set, 6-4, but came back strong to win the third.
Quinn Fender's match at No. 5 against Vadzim Raitsou came down to the wire as well. Fender won Set One, 6-2, but fell in the second, 6-4. The third set was a close one, but Fender emerged with a 7-5 victory.
"I thought we did a few things really well," head coach Tom Hand said. "The guys fought really hard. It certainly wasn't our best tennis, but we managed to do some of the things we talked about before the match in terms of competing and playing the way that we want to."
The Bulldogs return to action at home, Friday, with a 3 p.m. matchup against South Carolina State at the Asheville Racquet Club.
Â
UNC Asheville 7, Tusculum 0
SINGLES
1. NOLAN, Oli (AVL) def. David Akinpetide (TU) 6-4, 6-1
2. MORKEL, Charlie (AVL) def. Frank Bonacia (TU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
3. BIERBAUM, Leo (AVL) def. Leon Huck (TU) 6-3, 6-3
4. DAOSAENGSAWANG, Sira (AVL) def. Manuel Almeida (TU) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)
5. FENDER, Quinn (AVL) def. Vadzim Raitsou (TU) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
6. MCFADYEN, Finlay Ray (AVL) def. Milan Jankovic (TU) 6-2, 6-4
DOUBLES
1. NOLAN, Oli/THURSFIELD, Harry (AVL) def. Leon Huck/David Akinpetide (TU) 6-4
2. MORKEL, Charlie/DAOSAENGSAWANG, Sira (AVL) def. Gabriel Yaguar/Jacco Mensinga (TU) 6-2
3. BIERBAUM, Leo/COLCLOUGH, Edward (AVL) vs. Frank Bonacia/Manuel Almeida (TU) unfinished
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (1,3,6,2,4,5)
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Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,1
Order of Finish:
1,3,6,2,4,5
Players Mentioned
LJ Thorpe Chalk Talk | Men's Basketball
Wednesday, August 27
Alumni Interview || Clay Edmondson || Baseball
Monday, August 04
Why Asheville || Payton Rolfsen || Volleyball
Thursday, July 24
Why Asheville || Addie Cooper || Women's Soccer
Tuesday, June 17