FLORENCE, SC – Nearly unbeaten sophomore Liam Day led 33rd-ranked Francis Marion University to a 6-1 victory over Lees-McRae College, Friday afternoon (April 1) in Conference Carolinas men's tennis play.  The win was the Patriots' ninth consecutive, the team's longest streak in 16 seasons.
 
Francis Marion, now 9-2 overall and 3-0 in league action, is one on only two squads still unbeaten in conference play.  FMU will host King University (Tenn.) on Saturday at 1 p.m. on the Kassab Courts.
 
The Patriots swept through doubles play with freshmen Harri Lloyd-Evans and Martin Barbera winning 6-1 at the No.2 position, sophomore Adam Ernberg and freshman Luis Lopez Sarasa winning 6-3 at the No.3 spot, and sophomores Liam Day and Leonel Gonzalez rallying for a 7-5 victory at the top slot.
 
As singles action commenced, Lloyd-Evans upped the Francis Marion advantage to 2-0 with a quick 6-2, 6-1 decision at the No.2 positon. Barbera was victorious 6-0, 7-5 at No.4 to give the Patriots a 3-0 margin.  After the Bobcats earned a win at No.3 to pull within 3-1, Day clinched the match with a 6-3, 7-5 win at the top singles spot.
 
Day improved his season singles record to 9-1, while he and Gonzalez remain undefeated at 10-0 in doubles.  Lloyd-Evans is unbeaten in singles play at 9-0.
 
Lopez Sarasa (7-6 (7-3), 6-4) and Ernberg (6-1, 6-1) accounted for the other FMU points with straight-set victories at spots No.5 and 6.
 
 
Men's Tennis Match Results
4/1/2022 at Florence, SC (Kassab Courts)
#33 Francis Marion University 6, Lees-McRae College 1
Singles competition
1. Liam Day (FMU) def. Hanqing Wang (LMCM) 6-3, 7-5
2. Harri Lloyd-Evans (FMU) def. Landon Church (LMCM) 6-2, 6-1
3. Max Borisov (LMCM) def. Leonel Gonzalez (FMU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Martin Barbera (FMU) def. Sam Jones (LMCM) 6-0, 7-5
5. Luis Lopez Sarasa (FMU) def. Ezequiel Arce (LMCM) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
6. Adam Ernberg (FMU) def. Andy Tallafigo (LMCM) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Liam Day/Leonel Gonzalez (FMU) def. Hanqing Wang/Max Borisov (LMCM) 7-5
2. Harri Lloyd-Evans/Martin Barbera (FMU) def. Sam Jones/Landon Church (LMCM) 6-1
3. Adam Ernberg/Luis Lopez Sarasa (FMU) def. Andy Tallafigo/Ezequiel Arce (LMCM) 6-3
 
Match Notes: Lees-McRae College 1-9 , 0-4
Francis Marion University 9-2 , 3-0; National ranking #33
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,4,3,1,6,5)