The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's tennis team dropped a 4-3 battle to Troy tonight. The Mocs won the doubles point, but the Trojans took four of six singles matches to pull out the win.
It was a tight contest all around with all six singles matches going to a third set and six tiebreakers all around. UTC, who is coming off a nearly three-week layoff due to COVID-19 issues within the program, dropped to 0-4 with the loss while Troy moved to 12-1.
The Mocs came out of the gate looking good in doubles action. Senior
Turner Voges and sophomore
Simon Labbe opened with a 6-4 win over Carles Anton and Amer Bedwan at No. 2. Sophomore
Kerim Hyatt and freshman
Jordan McClure clinched the point with a 7-6 (1) win at No. 3.
Troy bounced back with three singles wins in a row at No. 6, No. 5 and No. 1. Freshman
Peyton Gatti won his first set at No. 5 in a tiebreaker. He cramped up after dropping the second-set tiebreaker and had to retire.
Voges cut the lead to 3-2 with a (1-6, 7-6, 6-3) win at No. 2. Troy clinched the match with a win at No. 3 before Labbe scored the final point at No. 4.
"I can't remember a time where I was coaching and had all six singles go three sets," stated UTC head coach
Chuck Merzbacher, who is in his fourth year and UTC and his 32
nd as a collegiate head coach overall. "This match was so close! I cannot be more proud of this group and their fight. This was quite the battle obviously. We are moving in the right direction for sure."
Up next for the Mocs is a trip to Clinton, S.C., to face Presbyterian College. Action against the Blue Hose takes place on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 10:00 a.m. (E.S.T.).
Troy 4, Chattanooga 3
2/26/2021 at Chattanooga, Tenn. (Strang-Voges Tennis Center)
Doubles competition
1. Christopher Tasker/Simkin, Nicolas (TROY) vs.
Tomas Rodriguez/
Peyton Gatti (UTC) no result
2.
Turner Voges/
Simon Labbe (UTC) def. Carles Anton/Amer Bedwan (TROY) 6-4
3.
Kerim Hyatt/
Jordan McClure (UTC) def. Vito Llinares/Andy Romero (TROY) 7-6 (7-1)
Singles competition
1. Carles Anton (TROY) def.
Tomas Rodriguez (UTC) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
2.
Turner Voges (UTC) def. Manuel Bernard (TROY) 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
3. Amer Bedwan (TROY) def.
Kerim Hyatt (UTC) 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-5
4.
Simon Labbe (UTC) def. Vito Llinares (TROY) 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-2
5. Simkin, Nicolas (TROY) def.
Peyton Gatti (UTC) 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (9-7), retired
6. Christopher Tasker (TROY) def.
Quinten Nevenhoven (UTC) 5-7, 6-0, 6-4
Match Notes
Troy 12-1
Chattanooga 0-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (6,5,1,2,3,4)
T-3:40
