LAKELAND, Fla. – The Tritons men's tennis team looked to cap off its historic regular season play with a victory on Saturday, but had a tall task as the Tritons traveled Lakeland to challenge the ITA No. 43 Florida Southern Moccasins.
The Mocs (14-8, 3-3 SSC) prevented EC (12-9, 0-6 SSC) from notching its first Sunshine State Conference victory of the season with an 8-1 decision that included multiple points that could have gone either way.
Frazier Springfield led the way for Eckerd with a 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 straight set victory at fifth singles.
James McManus and
Jonathan Cheng each went a full three sets at No. 4 and No. 6 singles respectively, but neither player was able to secure the point for the Tritons. McManus opened with a 6-4 first set but dropped the following sets 3-6 and 1-6. A 7-6 first set also went in Cheng's favor before getting swept in the second set and falling in an extended third set tiebreaker, 11-13, for the match.
FSC also had to dig deep to control the doubles advantage as both the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles matches were decided 8-6.
The 12 wins on the season doubled the 2014-15 season total and is the most for one season in recorded program history.
All that remains for the Tritons on the season is the SSC Championship in Tampa. The tournament is scheduled for April 28-30 Hillsborough Community College Tennis Complex and the field will be announced at a later date.
No. 43 Florida Southern 8, Eckerd College 1
4/16/16 at Lakeland, FL (Warden Tennis Center)
| Singles competition |
| 1. Jose de Sario (FSCM) def. Victor Appelqvist (ECKM) 6-2, 6-3 |
| 2. Brian Slivonik (FSCM) def. Eddie Lewis (ECKM) 7-5, 6-1 |
| 3. Miguel Alvarez-Hevia (FSCM) def. Yosua Husodo (ECKM) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 |
| 4. Arthur Viallaneix (FSCM) def. James McManus (ECKM) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 |
| 5. Frazier Springfield (ECKM) def. Oscar Soderlund (FSCM) 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 |
| 6. Matt Matsuyama (FSCM) def. Jonathan Cheng (ECKM) 6-7 (7-10), 6-0, 13-11 |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Jose de Sario/Brian Slivonik (FSCM) def. Victor Appelqvist/Yosua Husodo (ECKM) 8-6 |
| 2. Oscar Soderlund/Miguel Alvarez-Hevia (FSCM) def. James McManus/Eddie Lewis (ECKM) 8-6 |
| 3. Arthur Viallaneix/Derek Bell (FSCM) def. Jonathan Cheng/Frazier Springfield (ECKM) 8-3 |
| Match Notes |
| Eckerd College 12-9 (0-6 SSC) |
| Florida Southern 14-8 (3-3 SSC); National ranking #43; Regional ranking #10 |
| Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,3,2,4,5,6) |
