Bulldogs Complete Thrilling Comeback to Score First Conference Victory

ASHEVILLE – UNC Asheville's men's tennis team scored singles victories in the final two matches to earn a 4-3 triumph against Winthrop, Sunday, winning its first Big South Conference matchup of the season.

With the Bulldogs (6-5, 1-0 Big South) trailing 3-2 in the dual, all attention turned to the singles matches at No. 5 and 6 as both squads began to cheer on their teammates competing in their third sets.

At the No. 6 draw, Quinn Fender had to rebound from a 6-4 defeat in the first set against the Eagles' (2-9, 0-1 Big South) James Hartson. Fender did just that, claiming the second set, 6-4, before leveling the dual for the Bulldogs with a 6-2 victory in the third set.

Moments later with the matchup tied at 3-3, Sirawit Daosaengsawang secured the victory for the Bulldogs with a 6-2 victory in his third set against Gabriel Dias. Daosaengsawang also had to bounce back from a setback in the first set, as Dias claimed it, 6-4. He would in resounding fashion, taking Set Two, 6-1.

Winthrop opened the dual with the doubles point, winning two matches in tiebreaker. Oli Nolan and Harry Thursfield won their match at No. 1, 6-4, but the Eagles claimed victories at No. 2 and 3, 7-6.

After falling in his doubles match, Charlie Morkel bounced back and leveled the dual, claiming a 6-3, 6-3 victory against Connor Williamson at the No. 2 draw. Leo Bierbaum also came back strong after doubles, putting the Bulldogs ahead 2-1 with a 6-1, 6-2, victory at the No. 3 draw.

The Eagles claimed the next two singles matches, at No. 4 and No. 1, before Fender and Daosaengsawang completed their heroics.

"It was a great win for us today," head coach Tom Hand said. "Any time you get to beat Winthrop is a good day. They're a great team and they're going to win a lot of matches this year, without question.

"I'm really proud of the way we fought today. I feel like we let the doubles point get away. We had some chances to close it out but didn't do it. Kudos to Birdie (Daosaengsawang) who clinched it, and Quinn (Fender), those two were down and managed to pull out some third sets. It was a great team win today: I thought we competed hard all the way up and down."

The Bulldogs return to the road when they travel to Presbyterian for a 3 p.m., Wednesday, contest.

UNC Asheville 4, Winthrop 3

SINGLES
1. Abhimany Vannemreddy (WU) def. NOLAN, Oli (AVL) 7-6, 6-3
2. MORKEL, Charlie (AVL) def. Connor Williamson (WU) 6-3, 6-3
3. BIERBAUM, Leo (AVL) def. Lluis Miralles (WU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Miha Velicki (WU) def. THURSFIELD, Harry (AVL) 7-5, 6-4
5. DAOSAENGSAWANG, Sira (AVL) def. Gabriel Dias (WU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
6. FENDER, Quinn (AVL) def. James Hartson (WU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2

DOUBLES
1. NOLAN, Oli/THURSFIELD, Harry (AVL) def. Miha Velicki/Lluis Miralles (WU) 6-4
2. Connor Williamson/Abhimany Vannemreddy (WU) def. MORKEL, Charlie/DAOSAENGSAWANG, Sira (AVL) 7-6 (10-7)
3. Gabriel Dias/James Hartson (WU) def. MCFADYEN, Finlay Ray/BIERBAUM, Leo (AVL) 7-6 (10-3)

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,3,4,1,6,5)

Bulldogs Complete Thrilling Comeback to Score First Conference Victory

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Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Leo Bierbaum

Sirawit Daosaengsawang

Quinn Fender

Charlie Morkel

Oli Nolan

Harry Thursfield