By Carolina Garcia, Staff Writer
On Saturday Feb. 7th, the men and women tennis teams at Armstrong State University took on St. Leo and Auburn Montgomery for their first matches of the 2015 season.
The No. 5 ranked men’s team opened up their season with a 7-2 victory over the St. Leo Lions at Bacon Park on Saturday morning. The Pirates took all three double matches and won four of the six single matches. Fernando Bogajo and Otakar Lucak swept their opponents with an 8-4 victory at No.1 doubles, while No. 2 doubles partners Marek Pesicka and Jan Porteset won 8-6. Pablo Gor and Ignacio Hernandez compeleted the doubles sweep in a close 9-8 victory.
Coach Sean McCaffrey stated, “During men’s doubles against St. Leo on Saturday our #2 team of Pablo and Nacho had struggled early in the match but found a way to overcome some very tough opponents to secure the win, and Marek and Jan brought a great deal of energy to the doubles court as well.”
The singles matches between Armstrong and St. Leo resulted in the Pirates taking the top three singles spots to clinch the match, and the other three matches ended in third-set tiebreakers. Bogajo clinched the win 6-2,6-1 at No. 1 singles, while Lucak downed his opponent 7-5, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. Gor defeated Verberne 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 singles as well. The tiebreaker matches consisted of Luca Cerin gaining the victory 5-7, 6-4, 11-9, at No. 4 singles, while St. Leo took victories in the No. 5 and 6 singles.
McCaffrey commented, “Luca refused to quit after a very slow start as well. Marek and Jan brought a great deal of energy to the doubles court as well.”
The Women’s tennis team blanked the St. Leo Lions in their season opener as well, winning every doubles and singles match of the day. Duo Clara Perez and Lena Lutzeier began the day for the Pirates with an 8-2 win at No. 1 doubles, while Carolina Prats-Millan and Nicole Fossa Huergo defeated St. Leo’s pair 8-3 at No. 2 doubles. No.3 doubles duo Diana Stromlega and Alejandra Cisneros completed the sweep with a win over Pauline Helgesson and Gabrielle Paul, 8-1.
McCaffrey stated, “Our doubles was particularly strong each day as Clara and Lena, Carolina and Nicole, and Diana and Ale stayed aggressive, steady and energized to help win their matches.”
Lutzeier led the team in the singles matches, beginning the set with a victory over St. Leo’s Robbiani, 6-3, 6-2 in the No. 1 singles match. Perez defeated her opponent 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2 singles, and Prats-Millan downed Paula Montoya 6-2, 6-2 at No.3 singles. Hergo continued the winning streak by dominating 6-1,6-0, and Cisneros continued the dominance 6-1, 6-2. Stromlega completed the day when she defeated Beugre-Guyot in a third set tiebreaker 6-0, 3-6, 10-5.
