FLORENCE, SC – In a battle of Top-30 programs, 22nd-ranked University of Mount Olive defeated 28th-ranked Francis Marion University 5-2, Tuesday (March 26) in Conference Carolinas men's tennis play.
 
Francis Marion (6-6, 0-2) will host North Greenville University on April 5 at 1 p.m.
 
Despite a win at No.2 doubles by the 42nd-ranked duo of juniors Austin Vienna and Luis Lopez Sarasa 7-6 (7-3), Mount Olive captured the other two matches to gain the doubles point and a 1-0 lead.
 
The Trojans (10-1, 2-0) took a 2-0 advantage with a straight-sets win at No.5 singles.  FMU junior Martin Barbera narrowed the margin to 2-1 with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at the top spot.
 
However, Mount Olive won the next three singles matches to clinch the match.  All three wins came in a third set or in a third-set tiebreaker.
 
Senior Adam Ernberg provided the final Francis Marion point with a come-from-behind 1-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7) win at No.6 singles.
 
 
Tennis Match Results
3/26/2024 at Mount Olive, NC (John Neal Walker Tennis Center)
#22 University of Mount Olive 5, #28 Francis Marion University 2
Singles competition
1. Martin Barbera (FMU) def. G. Zotin de Oliveira (UMO) 6-2, 6-4
2. Niklas Gruenefeldt (UMO) def. Harri Lloyd-Evans (FMU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
3. Kristoffer Dalbak (UMO) def. Leonel Gonzalez (FMU) 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Bram Poel (UMO) def. Luis Lopez Sarasa (FMU) 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 1-0 (10-6)
5. Kabir Chhabria (UMO) def. Carlson Lim (FMU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Adam Ernberg (FMU) def. Adam Ibrahim (UMO) 1-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7)
Doubles competition
1. G. Zotin de Oliveira/Kristoffer Dalbak (UMO) def. #38 Leonel Gonzalez/Martin Barbera (FMU) 6-3
2. #42 Austin Vienna/Luis Lopez Sarasa (FMU) def. Niklas Gruenefeldt/Adam Ibrahim (UMO) 7-6 (7-3)
3. Lenn Hoffmann/Bram Poel (UMO) def. Pedro Caro/Harri Lloyd-Evans (FMU) 6-3
 
Match Notes:  Francis Marion University 6-6, 0-2 CC; National ranking #28
University of Mount Olive 10-1, 2-0 CC; National ranking #22
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,1,3,2,4,6)