Mercer University
Belmont
Tennis Teams Swept By Belmont
3/23/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
MACON, Ga.—The Mercer tennis teams battled, but came up on the short end of a couple of A-Sun matches against Belmont on Friday afternoon at the Leroy Peddy Tennis Center. The Mercer women dropped a 5-2 decision to Belmont in the opening match, while the men fell in heartbreaking fashion with a 4-3 setback in the second match, which concluded with the appearance of ominous weather on the immediate horizon.
The Mercer women led off the day, getting underway at just after 9 a.m., with singles play followed by the doubles competition.
Mercer picked up its only two points of the day in singles action, picking up victories at the No. 1 and 2 positions.
Lucie Payrat continued her stellar play of late, as she powered past Belmont's Nikki Maciel, 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 1. The win marked Payrat's overall individual mark to 6-3 in singles play this season.
Jennifer Lada registered the other point for the Bears on the afternoon, as she bested Belmont's Fabiana Merson in extra sets, 6-4, 3-6, 11-9 at the No. 2.
At the No.3 post, Belmont's Catherine Holliday posted a 6-1, 6-4 win over Mercer's Melanie Schumilas, while the Bruins' Carolyn Caire was a 6-3, 6-1 winner over the Bears' Amanda Bertani at the No. 4.
Laura Stack posted a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Mercer's Sarah Hanna at the No.5, while Natalie Nunes topped the Bears' No. 6, Katherine Cooper, 6-2, 6-1.
The doubles point was tightly-contested at the No. 1 and No. 2 positions, with Mercer's Payrat and Lada picking up the 8-4 win over Stack and Abigail Hogan at the No. 1, while the Bears' Hanna and Cooper dropped an 8-4 decision to Nunes and Caire at the No. 2.
In the second match of the day, which began at approximately noon, Belmont handed Mercer a heartbreaking, 4-3, setback in a key A-Sun match.
With the win, Belmont improves their overall season ledger to 5-8 and 2-0 in league matches, while Mercer falls to 3-8 overall and 0-3 in A-Sun play.
The Bruins claimed the doubles result by winning at the No. 1 and 2 positions, while the Bears started the match with a convincing win at the No. 3.
At No. 1, Belmont's Renato Antun and Rafael Matos posted an 8-6 win at the, while Rodrigo Amaral and Henrique Norbiato helped the Bruins clinch a pivotal point in doubles play defeating Pierre Tafelski and Peter Tauchner, 9-8 (5), at the No. 2.
Mercer claimed the first match of the doubles competition, as Vincent DeLise and Joao Pagan made easy work of Belmont's Fernando Mussolini and Bruno Silva, with an 8-0 win at the No. 3.
In singles play, Mercer picked up wins at the No. 6, 1 and 5 positions to account for their three tallies on the scoreboard in the setback.
After falling behind 3-0 with losses at the No. 3 and 4 flights, Mercer would pick up its first point of the afternoon through Vincent Dias at the No. 6. He fashioned a 6-4, 7-5 win over Silva at the No. 6.
The Bears would tighten the pressure just moments later, as the Bears' No. 1 Tafelski knocked off Belmont's Antun, 6-4, 6-2 to cut the Mercer deficit to a single point, at 3-2.
DeLise would bring the match all square at the No. 5, posting a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win, however, Belmont would claim the match in a drama-filled battle at the No. 2, with the Bruins' Norbiato claiming a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory, setting off celebrations among the Belmont players.
Both the Mercer tennis teams look to rebound from today's heartbreaking defeats tomorrow morning against the other of the A-Sun's Nashville school, Lipscomb. Doubles play is slated to get underway for the Mercer women at 10 a.m., while the men's start time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Men's Tennis Match Results
Belmont 4, Mercer 3
Singles competition
1. Pierre Tafelski (MER) def. Renato Antun (BELM) 6-4, 6-2
2. Henrique Norbiato (BELM) def. Peter Tauchner (MER) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
3. Rodrigo Amaral (BELM) def. Joao Pagan (MER) 6-3, 6-2
4. Fernando Mussolini (BELM) def. David Barton (MER) 6-1, 6-2
5. Vincent DeLise (MER) def. Rafael Matos (BELM) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
6. Victor Dias (MER) def. Bruno Silva (BELM) 6-4, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Renato Antun/Rafael Matos (BELM) def. David Barton/Victor Dias (MER) 8-6
2. Henrique Norbiato/Rodrigo Amaral (BELM) def. Pierre Tafelski/Peter Tauchner (MER) 9-8
3. Vincent DeLise/Joao Pagan (MER) def. Fernando Mussolini/Bruno Silva (BELM) 8-0
Match Notes:
Belmont 4-8, 2-0
Mercer 3-8, 0-3
Order of Finish (Singles): 3, 4, 6, 1, 5, 2
Order of Finish (Doubles): 3, 1, 2
Women's Tennis Match Results
Belmont 5, Mercer 2
Singles competition
1. Lucie Payrat (MER) def. Nikki Maciel (BELW) 6-3, 6-3
2. Jennifer Lada (MER) def. Fabiana Mersan (BELW) 6-4, 3-6, 11-9
3. Catherine Holliday (BELW) def. Melanie Schumilas (MER) 6-1, 6-4
4. Carolyn Caire (BELW) def. Amanda Bertani (MER) 6-3, 6-1
5. Laura Stack (BELW) def. Sarah Hanna (MER) 6-2, 6-4
6. Natalia Nunes (BELW) def. Katherine Cooper (MER) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Lucie Payrat/Jennifer Lada (MER) def. Laura Stack/Abigail Hogan (BELW) 8-4
2. Catherine Holliday/Fabiana Mersan (BELW) def. Melanie Schumilas/Amanda Bertani (MER) 8-4
3. Natalia Nunes/Carolyn Caire (BELW) def. Sarah Hanna/Katherine Cooper (MER) 8-0
Match Notes:
Belmont 5-6, 2-0
Mercer 2-8, 0-3
Order of Finish (Singles): 6, 3, 4, 1, 5, 2
Order of Finish (Doubles): 3, 1, 2
Players Mentioned
