Jaguars sweep Sunday with upset wins over ranked Lincoln Memorial
By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Editor in chief
It was a statement Sunday at the Newman Tennis Center, as both Augusta University tennis programs took down ranked Lincoln Memorial squads in impressive fashion.
Women dominate No. 35 Lincoln Memorial, 4-0
Maria Gento delivers a nice forehand down the line for a point. (photo by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)
The Augusta women’s team wasted no time asserting control, shutting out No. 35 Lincoln Memorial 4-0 behind a strong start in doubles and efficient play in singles.
Augusta secured the doubles point with wins on courts one and two. Maria Gento and Andrea Gonzalez led the way with a 6-3 victory at No. 1, while Priscilla Landi and Julieta Palma battled to a 7-5 win at No. 2. Giovanna Patrocínio and Camila Taborga dropped a 4-6 decision at No. 3, but the Jaguars had already claimed the early advantage.
That momentum carried into singles. Gento delivered a commanding 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 1, while Gonzalez matched her with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 2. Patrocínio sealed the match at No. 6, winning 6-4, 6-3 to clinch the upset.
Three additional matches went unfinished after the team result was decided. Luciana Bejarano had taken the first set at No. 3 and was battling in the second, while Landi was mounting a comeback at No. 4 after dropping a tight opening set. Taborga was locked in a third-set battle at No. 5 when play was halted.
Men rally past No. 15 Lincoln Memorial, 4-3
The No. 37 Augusta men’s team delivered a comeback victory of its own, edging No. 15 Lincoln Memorial 4-3 in a tightly contested match.
Lincoln Memorial opened by sweeping all three doubles courts to take a 1-0 lead, putting the Jaguars on their heels early.
David Perret powers the ball during a rally. Perret delivered against LMU by winning in straight sets. (photo by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)
Augusta responded emphatically in singles play, winning four matches to flip the momentum. David Perret set the tone with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 performance, while Alejandro Carbonell added another straight-set victory to keep the Jaguars within striking distance.
Enzo Sakiyama pushed Augusta closer with a hard-fought three-set win, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
With the match hanging in the balance, Arthur Valette delivered in the biggest moment. After dropping the first set, he stormed back to win 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, clinching the decisive point and completing the comeback.
Alexis Bailhache and Humberto Pinto fell in their singles matches, accounting for Lincoln Memorial’s remaining points.
What’s next
The women’s team hits the road to face Georgia Southwestern on Tuesday, while both squads return home on Saturday, April 4, for a major test against nationally ranked Flagler. The Saints enter the matchup ranked No. 16 on the women’s side and No. 3 on the men’s side.
Contact Rodrigo Burgos Avila at rburgosavila@augusta.edu.
Andrea Gonzalez entends to return the ball. At the top of the page, Arthur Valette kills it at the net. (photos by Rodrigo Burgos Avila/the Bell Ringer)
