Mercer Snaps ETSU’s 54-Match SoCon Win Streak

Thursday, March 16

Macon, Ga.

1 p.m.

Mercer University

East Tennessee State University

Samuel MacLeod celebrating with teammates

Mercer Snaps ETSU’s 54-Match SoCon Win Streak

3/16/2023 6:42:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Buccaneers had won all conference matches since rejoining league in 2014-15

By: Amanda Cover

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer men's tennis program (7-9, 1-0) recorded the upset of the year after defeating ETSU (6-9, 3-1), 4-3, on Thursday afternoon at the LeRoy Peddy Tennis Center. ETSU had not lost a Southern Conference match since rejoining the league at the start of the 2014-15 season.

The Bears took an early lead by winning the doubles point on courts two and three. Samuel Barrow and Andrew Branicki defeated Thiago Pernas and Juan Lombisano 6-2 at the second slot. Marceau Foulihoux and Nemanja Stefanovic clinched the point with a 6-4 victory over Francisco Lamas and Peter Kolacsai at the third slot.

ETSU fought back to take a 2-1 lead with wins at the first and second singles slots. Foulihoux tied the match after winning 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 on court four over Lombisano. This was Foulihoux's 11^th singles win of the season.

The Buccaneers took the lead again, 3-2, with a victory on court three. Only four courts were available at a time, so the fifth and sixth singles matches were in early stages at this point.

Branicki won the first nine games on court six en route to a 6-0, 6-1 win over Kalocsai. Samuel MacLeod won the first set on court five but fell behind in the second set. He fought back from a 5-2 deficit to take the second set, 7-5, and clinch the match for the Bears.

UP NEXT: Mercer will play its final non-conference match of the season on Wednesday, March 22 at 10 a.m. at Alabama State.

FOLLOW THE BEARS:
For complete coverage of Mercer Men's Tennis, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerMTennis (Twitter) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.