CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Lee University men's tennis team stepped out of conference and divisional play to take on NCAA Division I University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Wednesday afternoon at the UTC Tennis Center. The Flames dropped their second straight match with a 5-2 defeat.
The Mocs (5-7) picked up the doubles point with wins at the top two spots. Turner Voges and Simon Labbe beat Jesus Garcia and Cristian Pons 6-1 at No. 2 doubles. Tomas Rodriguez and Peyton Gatti held off Bruno Medeiros and Antonio Pons 6-4 at No. 1 doubles. The No. 3 doubles match was left unfinished with Kerim Hyatt and Jeffrey Dewald leading Daniel Prata and Jordi Dasi 5-4.
Labbe added to the Chattanooga lead with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Dasi at No. 4 singles. Hyatt pulled the home team within one of securing the team win with a three-set decision over Cristian Pons. Pons won the opening set 6-2, but Hyatt won the final two sets 6-2 and 6-3.
Diego Garcia ended the shutout with a straight-set win over Gatti. Garcia used a 7-3 tie-break to win the first set 7-6 and rode the momentum to post a 6-1 score in the second set.
Antonio Pons split his first two sets with Dewald, winning 7-5 and losing 6-2, before winning via retirement and pulling Lee within one point at 3-2 with the top two singles matches still to be finished.
"That was a hard-fought match and it basically came down to No. 1 and 2 singles," said Lee head coach Patric Hynes. "Our guys played well. UTC has a strong team and the matches were tough."
Jesus Garcia beat Rodriguez 6-3 in the first set. Rodriguez fought back to win the next two sets 6-3 and 6-4 to win at No 1 singles and clinch the team victory for the Mocs.
Nico Ramirez and Voges battled through three sets, including two that required a tie-breaker. Voges won the first set 7-5 and Ramirez posted a tie-break score of 7-5 to win the second set 7-6 to force a third and deciding set. Ramirez and Voges found themselves tied at 6-6 again. Voges claimed the tie-break point and the No. 2 singles match with a 9-7 margin.
"We will clean up a few things, but I'm looking forward to getting back out there with the team and continuing to move forward," added Hynes.
The Flames (6-5) return to action on Sunday, March 28, at Mississippi College. The GSC contest is scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT.
