by Megan Murray
sports editor
The Millsaps men’s tennis team kept its winning streak alive Wednesday with a victory over Texas Lutheran University, moving to 9-0 on the season. The Major women’s tennis team did not fare as well, losing a tight 5-4 match to the Bulldogs of TLU. The Lady Majors’ record now stands at 3-6.
In a 5-4 victory against Texas Lutheran, the men’s team took control early with two wins out of three in doubles competition. Pairs Alex Centurion/Diego Marti-Vertiz and Avinash Ananth/Cameron Doles recorded 8-3 wins in their respective matches. Marti-Vertiz and Centurion continued their success, both winning their singles matches in straight sets.
Centurion remarked, “It’s more of a mindset. It doesn’t matter who is on the other side of the net. [If] I am in control of the match, I will win. [Having a good mindset] allows me to take my best game and play smart, and also allows me to give myself the best possible chance at winning.”
Photo courtesy of Millsaps Sports Information
However, the Majors did see several setbacks. After losing in doubles, Charles Rees fell just short in his singles match, forcing two tiebreakers. The Majors also had tough singles losses by Ananth and Sean Solomonoff, resulting in a 4-4 tie with TLU.
Emerson Brundick gave a crucial final performance to clinch the match for the Majors. He won in two convincing sets, 6-1 and 6-3, and tallied the fifth and final point for the Majors’ victory.
The win brings the Majors to 9-0 on the season. “The team has a very good mindset. That is undoubtedly why we are undefeated,” Centurion said. “We have come together well as a team and have proven to each other that we can rely on one another… We also understand that it isn’t about the record, it’s about the team.”
Women’s tennis also had a tight match Wednesday against Texas Lutheran, but fell on the losing end of a 5-4 score. The Majors had a strong start to the day with a decisive 8-1 doubles win from Deena Li Kam Wa/Ashley Ford. The match took a turn in the Bulldogs’ favor as Madison Brennan/Reya Hayek lost by the same 8-1 score. With the last doubles’ point up for grabs, Anna Brahce/Rachel Beck rallied back from a 7-6 deficit to win the match 9-7.
In singles play, the Bulldogs won the first three matches in straight sets. The Majors recovered with a straight set win from Mary Claiborne-Sharpe and a comeback victory from Beck, winning the 10-point tiebreaker 10-5. Beck’s win tied the total score 4-4 with the number-one singles match to determine the final outcome.
The number one singles match between TLU’s Sofia Vega and Millsaps’ Deena Li Kam Wa was a three-and-a-half-hour intense battle for the victory. Vega took the first set with a tiebreaker win, followed by a 6-3 set win from Li Kam Wa. The match came down to a 10-point tiebreaker, in which Vega triumphed 10-6 and secured the win for the Bulldogs. The loss sets the Majors back to 3-6 on the season.
Photo courtesy of Millsaps Sports Information
Both Major tennis teams will open conference play this weekend as they travel to Berry and Oglethorpe on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.