LAKELAND, Fla. - The Eckerd men's tennis team fell to Florida Southern in its season opener, 6-1, Monday afternoon at the Wynee Warden Tennis Center.
The Moccasins (1-2, 1-1 SSC) beat the Tritons (0-1, 0-1 SSC) after earning the doubles point and winning five of six singles matches.
The duo of Pierre-Olivier Lassalle and Prakrut Patel had early momentum in No. 1 doubles, going up 5-2 before ultimately falling, 7-6 (7-5). Arthur de Souza Fonseca and Christian Kearns battled out of the No. 2 slot but lost 6-3. Making their Eckerd debut, Eric Asakura and Arik Suez managed to win a game but fell 6-1, with the Moccasins earning the doubles point.
Lassalle earned EC's lone victory in singles play, beating FSC's Valentin Hertweck 6-4 and 6-1. Patel and Kearns picked up two games per set in their respective singles competition from the No. 2 and No. 5 draws, but each fell 6-2 and 6-2.
Fonseca also won four games out of the No. 3 position, going 6-3 and 6-1.
The Tritons welcome Embry-Riddle to the Bullard Courts on Thursday at 2:00 PM.
Singles competition
1. Pierre Lassalle (ECM) def. Valentin Hertweck (FSC-M) 6-4, 6-1
2. Chris Fok Kow (FSC-M) def. Prakrut Patel (ECM) 6-2, 6-2
3. Elliott Altman (FSC-M) def. Arthur Fonseca (ECM) 6-3, 6-1
4. Oscar Sohl (FSC-M) def. Eric Asakura (ECM) 6-1, 6-0
5. Erik Nordblom (FSC-M) def. Christian Kearns (ECM) 6-2, 6-2
6. Matteo Feggi (FSC-M) def. Arik Suez (ECM) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Valentin Hertweck/Chris Fok Kow (FSC-M) def. Pierre Lassalle/Prakrut Patel (ECM) 7-6 (7-5)
2. Erik Nordblom/Oscar Sohl (FSC-M) def. Arthur Fonseca/Christian Kearns (ECM) 6-3
3. Elliott Altman/Matteo Feggi (FSC-M) def. Eric Asakura/Arik Suez (ECM) 6-1
