FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University earned the doubles point thanks to a marathon win at the No.1 position and then freshman Leonel Gonzalez registered the clinching point at No.5 singles as the Patriots claimed a hard-fought 4-3 victory over local-rival Coker University, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 20) in men's tennis action.

FMU will host Barton College on Sunday at noon on the Kassab Courts.
 
Francis Marion (1-3) gained the doubles point when senior William Anth-Forsberg and freshman Adam Ernberg rallied to beat Carlos Pinedo and Isaac MacMillan 7-6 (10-8 in the tie-breaker) at the top doubles spot.  Earlier, Coker's Luis de Vuyst and Thibaut Decaluwe were victorious at No.3 doubles by a 6-2 count, while FMU graduate student Mauricio Guerrero and Gonzalez won 6-4 at the No.2 position.
 
Anth-Forsberg put the Patriots up 2-0 with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No.1 singles, but MacMillan countered with a 6-2, 6-1 win at No.3 to draw the Cobras within 2-1.
 
Guerrero then won 7-5, 6-2 at No.2, but the Cobras' Sean Keane earned a hard-fought 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-1) decision over FMU freshman Joshua Schaefer at No.4 to again pull Coker to within one at 3-2.
 
Gonzalez delivered the winning point for Francis Marion with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) win at No.5 singles.  Coker's Decaluwe earned a three-set win (2-6, 6-3, 6-0) at No.6 to account for the final point.
 
The win avenged a 4-3 loss to the Cobras several weeks ago in the season-opening City of Florence Invitational.
 

Men's Tennis
2-20-2021 at Florence, SC (Kassab Courts)
Francis Marion University 4, Coker University 3
Singles competition
1. W. Anth-Forsberg (FMU) def. Justus Lehmann (COKERM) 6-1, 6-2
2. Mauricio Guerrero (FMU) def. Carlos Pinedo (COKERM) 7-5, 6-2
3. Isaac MacMillan (COKERM) def. Adam Ernberg (FMU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Sean Keane (COKERM) def. Joshua Schaefer (FMU) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-1)
5. Leonel Gonzalez (FMU) def. Luis de Vuyst (COKERM) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
6. Thibaut Decaluwe (COKERM) def. David Bodson (FMU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. W. Anth-Forsberg/Adam Ernberg (FMU) def. Carlos Pinedo/Isaac MacMillan (COKERM) 7-6 (10-8)
2. Mauricio Guerrero/Leonel Gonzalez (FMU) def. Justus Lehmann/Sean Keane (COKERM) 6-4
3. Luis de Vuyst/Thibaut Decaluwe (COKERM) def. Joshua Schaefer/David Bodson (FMU) 6-2
 
Match Notes: Coker University 1-3
Francis Marion University 1-3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,3,2,4,5,6)