COLUMBUS - The top-ranked Columbus State University men's tennis team grinded its way to a 4-3 victory over sixth-ranked Valdosta State University on Wednesday in non-conference action at the Walden Tennis Complex.
The win kept CSU's (14-1) winning streak in Columbus alive, as the Cougars have now won 26 straight matches at the Walden Tennis Center dating back to 2019.
Columbus State started the day on the right note, taking two of the three doubles matches.
Christian Garay and
Felix Steen grabbed the first win of the afternoon at third doubles after taking down Christian Wedel and Cameron Trigolos 6-2. Second doubles was decided by the same 6-2 margin as ninth-ranked
Tommaso Schold and
Pietro Martinetti defeated Lamar Bartley and Christian Felline.
First doubles saw a top-five showdown and it lived up to the hype. In an instant classic, the top-ranked duo of Luca Mack and Rodrigo Carvalho put Valdosta State (11-5) in the win column with a 7-6 (7-5) victory over
Alvaro Regalado and
Javier Cueto Ramos in a tiebreak.
The Blazers gave the Cougars a fight in singles play, but the backend of the CSU lineup was up for the challenge. Steen put CSU ahead 2-0 after wrapping up first at fifth singles. The German easily handled Felline 6-3, 6-4. However, VSU responded with back-to-back upset wins at first and second singles. Eight-ranked Mack ended top-ranked Regalado's quest for a perfect season in the marquee match, registering a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) win. At second singles, 60th-ranked Carvalho edged 37th-ranked Cueto Ramos 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Needing a spark, 75th-ranked Garay answered the call. After dropping the first set 6-4 to Wedel at fourth singles, the Columbus native bounced back to take the final two sets 6-1, 6-4 to give Columbus State a 3-2 lead.
Third and sixth singles were both deep in the third set when Martinetti decided the match in the sixth position. Martinetti took the first set, but Trigolos was able to force the match to the decisive set. The two players battled in the third until Martinetti put Trigolos away to grab the 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 win.
VSU won a third match at third doubles when Bartley defeated 25th-ranked Schold 5-7, 6-7, 6-5.
UP NEXT
Columbus State heads up to the North Georgia mountains to take on Young Harris College in Young Harris, Ga. First serve is at 2 p.m.
