ORLANDO, Fla. – Senior Chanton Phan won both of his matches in convincing fashion to help power the Ursinus College men's tennis team to a 6-3 victory over Piedmont on Monday night, the Bears' spring opener and first dual of the season.
Ursinus, ranked 19th in the Atlantic South Region, won its seventh consecutive season opener, but unlike the last three – all 9-0 sweeps – this one required plenty of work. The Bears fell behind on five of the six singles courts, but four of them resulted in comeback tales under the lights at Orlando's Lake Cane Tennis Center.
Phan had one of the easier times in the Bears' individual clashes, dispatching Kanler Cumbass by a 6-3, 6-1 final at number three singles. His doubles partner, junior Peter Shields, was also a straight-sets winner, topping Robbie Werner 7-5, 6-3.
Junior Max Oberholtzer prevailed 7-5, 6-3 against Nathan Metzger on the top singles court. Sophomore Paul Vecchio, meanwhile, rallied from a first-set defeat to snatch a 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-2) triumph over Bryan Barnett in a third-set super tiebreaker at number two.
Phan and Shields were on fire at second doubles, rolling to an 8-1 result against Robbie Werner and Bryan Barnett. Metzger and Jackson Hill picked up an 8-2 victory at first doubles to bring Piedmont even at a court apiece, but senior Burke and freshman Connor DeFaber-Schumacher outlasted Cumbass and Harrison LaBollita, 8-6, in the rubber match to send Ursinus into singles play with a 2-1 advantage.
The Bears get back to the courts early Tuesday for a clash of regionally ranked foes with Oglethorpe, which comes in at No. 10 in the Atlantic South. First serve is set for 8 a.m.