VALDOSTA — The No. 5-ranked Valdosta State men’s tennis team handed visiting No. 10 Lander a 6-1 loss on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in Titletown. The Blazers improved to 8-2 on the year with the victory.
In doubles, the Blazers took the early lead winning two of the three matches as VSU’s No. 3 tandem of junior Boruch Skierkier and sophomore Jan Skerbatis, ranked No. 40 nationally, won 6-2 over Ambroise Marchand and Emilien Baradel.
At the top spot, seniors Luca Mack and Christian Wedel battled back from a 1-3 deficit, winning the final five games over No. 43-ranked duo of Matthew De Groot and Hugo Regner to claim the team point.
At No. 2 doubles, No. 48 tandem of Markus Sorensen and Nick Beamish of Lander broke a 3-3 tie with Blazer duo of junior Takeshi Taco and junior Xaveam Van Wijk to win the final three games for a 6-3 victory moments after Mack/Wedel clinched the team point.
The momentum continued into the singles matches as sophomore Jerome Iaconi made quick work of Naoui Mouad at No. 5, 6-1, 6-1, for a 2-0 lead. Mack, ranked No. 42 nationally, won 6-2, 6-4, at No. 1 singles over Regner for a 3-0 lead and Wedel won 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) at No. 4 over Beamish to clinch the match.
Taco, who is ranked eighth nationally, won 7-5, 6-4, over Marchand at No. 2 and a 5-0 lead. Earlier Wednesday afternoon, Mack was named GSC Men’s Tennis Player of the Week for his efforts last week in the win at Montevallo.
The Bearcats (8-1) got on the board with a win at No. 6, as Ishmail ElShafei won 7-5, 6-3, over Skerbatis, but Skierkier, won 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 at No. 3 over Markus Sorensen for the 6-1 win.
VSU had a match scheduled with No. 27 Lee for Friday afternoon, but it has been moved to Apr. 21 due to the threat of inclement weather in Valdosta. The Blazers will still face No. 16 Embry-Riddle at 2 p.m., on Saturday, Mar. 23 at the VSU Tennis Complex.