SUMTER, SC – Sophomore Liam Day twice rallied from 4-1 deficits to earn a straight-sets 7-5, 6-4 win at No.1 singles to supply fifth-seeded and 47th-ranked Francis Marion University a 4-3 upset victory over fourth-seeded and 48th-ranked Emmanuel College (Ga.), Friday afternoon (April 29) in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Conference Carolinas Men's Tennis Tournament.
 
The Patriots, who earlier in the day defeated Southern Wesleyan University 4-0 in the opening round, up their record to 14-6.  FMU advances to the semifinals on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. against top-seeded and 24th-ranked Belmont Abbey College.  The championship is set for Sunday at 9 a.m.  All action is being played at the Palmetto Tennis Center in Sumter.
 
The second-seeded FMU women will also play in the semifinals on Saturday at 2 p.m., against third-seeded Erskine College.
 
In the men's quarterfinal win, the match was deadlocked at 3-3 when Day came through with his second win of the season over the conference Player of the Year Thembo Makhanya.
  
Doubles wins by Day and sophomore Leonel Gonzalez at No.1 (by a 6-2 decision) and by freshmen Martin Barbera and Harri Lloyd-Evans at No.2 (6-3 score) gave FMU a 1-0 advantage.  Day and Gonzalez are now 17-2 this season in doubles play.
 
The Lions (11-12) evened the match with a victory at No.2 singles, but Gonzalez was victorious 6-2, 6-1 at the No.3 position and freshman Luis Lopez Sarasa won 6-2, 7-5 at No.5 to give the Patriots a 3-1 lead.
 
However, Emmanuel claimed straight-sets wins at spots four and sixth to again even the match, this time at 3-3, setting the stage for Day's dramatic win.
 
Day, named a first-team All-Conference selection earlier this week, improves his season singles record to 14-4.
 
 
Men's Tennis Match Results
4/29/2022 at Sumter, SC (Palmetto Tennis Center)
#47 Francis Marion 4, #48 Emmanuel 3
Singles competition
1. Liam Day (FMU) def. Thembo Makhanya (ECMT) 7-5, 6-4
2. Nathan Benoit (ECMT) def. Harri Lloyd-Evans (FMU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Leonel Gonzalez (FMU) def. Javier Crespo (ECMT) 6-2, 6-1
4. Hassan Badran (ECMT) def. Martin Barbera (FMU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Luis Lopez Sarasa (FMU) def. Kornel Kimaszeweski (ECMT) 6-2, 7-5
6. Joan Grosset (ECMT) def. Adam Ernberg (FMU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Liam Day/Leonel Gonzalez (FMU) def. Joan Grosset/Nathan Benoit (ECMT) 6-2
2. Martin Barbera/Harri Lloyd-Evans (FMU) def. Thembo Makhanya/Javier Crespo (ECMT) 6-3
3. Juan Camilo Burgos/Kornel Kimaszeweski (ECMT) vs. Adam Ernberg/Luis Lopez Sarasa (FMU) 4-4, unfinished
 
Match Notes: Francis Marion 14-6; National ranking #47
Emmanuel 11-12; National ranking #48
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (2,3,5,4,6,1)
#5 Francis Marion defeats #4 Emmanuel to advance to Conference Carolinas Semi