In a battle of conference unbeatens, nationally 50th-ranked Mount Olive fell to Coker 5-4 in Conference Carolinas men's tennis Thursday at Hartsville, S.C. By virtue of Thursday's result, the Trojans will be either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in next weekend's conference tournament.
Mount Olive (12-4 overall, 8-1 Conference Carolinas) lost two-of-three doubles matches and trailed 4-1 after a pair of singles losses. Henric Falkenburg, who combined with a Akio Mariano for an 8-6 win at No. 2 doubles, posted a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win at No. 3 singles. Stan Roffe won 6-1, 7-5 at No. 5 singles to pull the Trojans within 4-3. But Coker (15-4, 10-0) won in three sets at No. 4 singles to clinch the team win. Brahm Moolman won 6-1, 6-7, 12-10 at No. 6 singles.
The Trojans were attempting to go unbeaten in conference play for the second time in program history and school history. The 2005 men's tennis team went 10-0 in conference play and remains the only Trojan team in any sport to go unbeaten in the conference.
Mount Olive concludes regular season play Sunday as the Trojans travel to Gaffney, S.C., to take on Limestone. The Trojans defeated Limestone 5-4 in the championship match of last year's Conference Carolinas Tournament. The two teams enter Sunday's match tied for second in the conference standings. Match time is 1 p.m.
Coker 5, Mount Olive 4
Singles
1. Andre Staab (CC) def. Edgar Bub (MOC) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
2. Tom Sizeland (CC) def. Gabriel Santana (MOC) 6-4, 6-2
3. Henric Falkenburg (MOC) def. William Marrafao (CC) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
4. James Corfield (CC) def. Akio Mariano (MOC) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
5. Stan Roffe (MOC) def. George Handy (CC) 6-1, 7-5
6. Brahm Moolman (MOC) def. Martin Moncayo (CC) 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 12-10
Doubles
1. Andre Staab/George Handy (CC) def. Edgar Bub/Rik Wolthuis (MOC) 8-5
2. Henric Falkenburg/Akio Mariano (MOC) def. Tom Sizeland/William Marrafao (CC) 8-6
3. James Corfield/Martin Moncayo (CC) def. Gabriel Santana/Brahm Moolman (MOC) 9-8 (8-6)