CHATTANOOGA --- The Chattanooga Mocs men's tennis team kicked off its home slate in emphatic fashion after picking up a 4-3 win over Gardner-Webb and a 7-0 decision over Young Harris on Saturday inside the Strang-Voges Tennis Center in Chattanooga.
 
Following the pair of wins, Chattanooga improves to 2-1 this season. Gardner-Webb falls to 0-1 while Young Harris remained 1-1 as this match was deemed an exhibition.
 
Chattanooga earned a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Gardner-Webb in the opening match of the Saturday doubleheader. After picking up the doubles point to earn a 1-0 lead, UTC would clinch the match with wins in the No. 3, 4 and 5 singles spots to secure the team's fourth point.
 
Gabriel Castillo posted a 6-1, 6-2 win in the No. 3 hole while Peyton Gatti battled to a 6-2, 7-6 (5) win at No. 4 and Ryan Mudre rolled to a 6-3, 6-2 winner at No. 5. Kerim Hyatt/Kristof Kincses won 6-3 at No. 2 doubles while Castillo/Mudre cruised to a 6-2 winner at No. 3.

"This was a super close match that probably came down to a huge doubles point," said head coach Chuck Merzbacher following the 4-3 win over GWU. "After we got the doubles point, it was extremely close in all the singles matches.

"Peyton [Gatti] clinched it with a tough second-set victory. That was huge. I'm very proud of how tough we were on big points and games."
 
Against Young Harris, Chattanooga controlled the match with wins in all nine matchups, sweeping all three doubles matches and all six singles to post its 7-0 victory.

"As the second match of the day, I thought our strength and conditioning program really helped us perform at a high level. The guys stepped up and swept all matches in some fierce battles.

"We are definitely growing as a team. It was a good home start for sure," added Merzbacher. 

Full match results are available below.
 
Gardner-Webb vs Chattanooga
1/28/2023 at Chattanooga, Tenn.
(Strang-Voges Tennis Center)
 
Chattanooga 4, Gardner-Webb 3
Singles competition
1. Eduardo Dias (GWUM) def. Kerim Hyatt (UTC) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
2. Alex Lepine (GWUM) def. Simon Labbe (UTC) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
3. Gabriel Castillo (UTC) def. Sebastian Harris (GWUM) 6-1, 6-2
4. Peyton Gatti (UTC) def. Victor Putter (GWUM) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
5. Ryan Mudre (UTC) def. Numa Lemieux-Monette (GWUM) 6-3, 6-2
6. Kim Neithammar (GWUM) def. Kristof Kincses (UTC) 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Simon Labbe/Peyton Gatti (UTC) vs. Numa Lemieux-Monette/Victor Putter (GWUM) 5-5, unfinished
2. Kerim Hyatt/Kristof Kincses (UTC) def. Chrisjan Van Wyk/Eduardo Dias (GWUM) 6-3
3. Gabriel Castillo/Ryan Mudre (UTC) def. John Spring/Cathal Butler (GWUM) 6-2
 
Match Notes:
Gardner-Webb 0-1
Chattanooga 1-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,5,4,6,1,2)
 
Young Harris vs Chattanooga
1/28/2023 at Chattanooga, Tenn.
(Strang-Voges Tennis Center)
 
Chattanooga 7, Young Harris 0
Singles competition
1. Kerim Hyatt (UTC) def. Rodrigo Mendoza (YH) 6-3, 7-5
2. Gabriel Castillo (UTC) def. Chimo Minguez Ribera (YH) 6-2, 6-0
3. Peyton Gatti (UTC) def. Pieke Bouman (YH) 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5)
4. Ryan Mudre (UTC) def. Janis Auslands (YH) 6-0, 6-3
5. Kristof Kincses (UTC) def. Gavin Thomas (YH) 6-3, 6-1
6. Cortland Grove (UTC) def. Mason Harmon (YH) 6-3, 6-3
 
Doubles competition
1. Peyton Gatti/Simon Labbe (UTC) def. Pieke Bouman/Chimo Minguez Ribera (YH) 6-2
2. Kerim Hyatt/Kristof Kincses (UTC) def. Rodrigo Mendoza/Michael Schut (YH) 6-4
3. Gabriel Castillo/Cortland Grove (UTC) def. Gavin Thomas/Mason Harmon (YH) 7-6 (7-0)
 
Match Notes:
Young Harris 1-1
Chattanooga 2-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,4,5,6,1,3)

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