LAWTON – The nationally-ranked Cameron University women’s and men’s tennis teams had a tough day against Lone Star Conference and regional rival Abilene Christian. The No. 14 women’s team fell 8-1 to the No. 6 Wildcats, while the men were disappointed in an incredibly tight 5-4 decision.
The women were upset 3-0 in doubles play. After being up a break over the No. 12 pair of Micah Hermsdorf and Hannah Kelley, the No. 25 tandem of Amanda Moberg and Julia Puckhaber were defeated 8-5 at the top position. Sara Londono and Florencia Tornero fell 8-3 at the No. 2 slot, and Elvira Sholles and Antonia Moberg, who were once up 5-2, went down in a close 8-6 result to their counterparts at the No. 3 spot.
Things continued to go the way of the Wildcats in singles. Londono and Sholles were taken out in identical 6-3, 6-2 decisions. After giving up her first set, Amanda Moberg came back to take the second, but did not have enough left in her tank to pick up the win over No. 3 Julia Mongin. The Swede was beaten by a score of 6-2, 2-6, 6-1. Tornero and Antonia Moberg were also upset by the Wildcats.
The Aggies, however, were able to earn a victory at the No. 2 slot. CU junior and nationally-ranked No. 25 Puckhaber had an impressive 7-6(6), 6-3 win over ACU’s No. 12 Micah Hermsdorf.
Cameron tennis coach James Helvey was more than pleased with Puckhaber’s win.
“Julia played really well. I’m really proud of her. Hermsdorf is a tough player and one of the top players in the nation, so Julia’s win over her is going to help her ranking,” he said.
On the men’s side, the Black and Gold got off to a great start in doubles. CU’s twosome of Nicolai Ferrigno and Mateus Campos fell 8-2 to the No. 22 team of Hans Hach and Nick Plum. Nevertheless, Thomas Peixoto and Gonzalo Garzon collected an 8-5 win at the No. 2 slot, and the Aggie pair of Duje Janjic and Angelo Lencioni beat opponents Cody McCarty and Michael Morris in an exciting 8-6 contest at the No. 3 position.
Singles play proved to be a thrilling endeavor for the LSC teams. Janjic continued his fine run of form, knocking out ACU’s Borja Cortes 7-6(4), 7-5. Conversely, Peixoto and Garzon were each upset in tough matches. The Brazilian surrendered his first set 6-2 to No. 6 Hans Hach and was on the edge of taking the second, but fell 7-6(5). Garzon, on the other hand, was bettered 6-4, 6-2 by the nationally-ranked Alfredo Desiati.
Ferrigno did battle against Nick Plum at the No. 3 spot. The Dane dropped the first set, won the second, but lost the third, resulting in Plum taking the 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 decision. The match marked only the second loss Ferrigno has faced this spring.
At the No. 6 position, Campos clinched an easy 6-2, 6-3 victory over the Wildcats’ McCarty. This resulted the in overall match being tied 4-4. The deciding contest would be decided by CU’s Jorge Gerosi and ACU’s Morris.
Morris collected the first set 6-3; however, Gerosi battled back to take the second 6-4. After more than three hours of play, the Aggie junior dropped the third set in a heartbreaking 6-4 decision after saving some four match points against Morris.
Helvey acknowledged that he was satisfied with the performances his men, as well as women, put forth.
“Abilene is a tough team, and both the women and men are ranked top ten in the nation. Of course I wish we would have won, but we played well and I’m proud of my teams. Now we have to put the matches behind us,” Helvey said. “We have a week of tennis ahead of us, so that has to be where our focus is now.”
The Aggie women now have an impressive 11-2 record, while the men have an almost equally impressive 10-4 record.
The Black and Gold women will take on Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, March 17 at the Javelinas home courts. The men will next see action on the same day against Laredo College in Kingsville.
