Posted: Feb 07, 2017

The SMC men's tennis team opened the 2017 campaign

The SMC men's tennis team opened the 2017 campaign versus Union College of Kentucky on Sunday January 29. Union College is a private 4 year college located in Barbourville, Kentucky, which was founded as an affiliate of the United Methodist Church in 1879.

The NAIA Bulldogs were led by their head coach Roscoe Moonieyan and the Pioneers by 1st year head coach Darren Patlen.

On the court, the Pioneers were led by returning letter winners Hufelder ( Jr.) Duarte, from Johns Island S.C. And Austin Green from Moore, S.C. All other SMC starters were competing in their first collegiate matches. Cody Brown, Spartanburg S.C., Jacob Gault, Union S.C., Daniel Stacy, Spartanburg S.C., and Clayton Hernandez, from Simpsonville, S.C.

The results of the match were not what the Pioneers hoped for as Union defeated SMC by a final score of 8-1. Hufelder (Jr.) Duarte was the lone winner for the Pioneers as he defeated Borna Bartolovic (Jr./ Zagreb, Croatia) 7-5, 6-2 in a hard fought, highly skilled match, to claim the only point of the day for the Pioneers.

At position #2, Austin Green fell to the Bulldogs very talented Freshman Ewan McKinnie (Fr./ Inverness, Scotland) by a score of 6-1, 7-5, in a very tightly contested match. Green led 5-4, and served for the second set.

Coach Patlens thoughts: Our guys competed well today against a very talented and experienced Union team. Junior Duarte and Austin Green competed at a very high level today. We will continue to improve and raise our level for future opponents. Congratulations to Coach Moonieyan and his very talented team. They were the better team today.

Next matches;

Saturday February 4, home vs. Oxford College of Emory 9am.

Saturday February 4, away vs. The Citadel at Clemson University 3pm

Friday February 10 away vs. Coker College at USC-Sumter 10am

Friday. February 10 away vs. Benedict College at USC-Sumter 2pm

Saturday February 11 away vs. The Citadel at USC-Sumter 1:30pm

Saturday February 11 away vs. USC-Sumter at USC-Sumter 4:30pm

Union College 8 SMC1

Sunday January 29, 2017 Doubles

Srdjan Trosic/ Borna Gil def. Hufelder Duarte/ Austin Green 8-3.

Ewan Mc Kinnie/Egil Brudik def. Cody Brown/Jacob Gault 8-0.

Mic Moore/Ethan Wright def. Daniel Stacy/Clayton Hernandez 8-0

Singles

#1 Hufelder Duarte SMC def. Borna Bartolovic Union 7-5, 6-2

#2 Ewan McKinnie Union def. Austin Green SMC 6-1, 7-5

#3 Srdjan Trosic Union def. Cody Brown SMC 6-0, 6-0

#4 Egil Brudik Union def. Jacob Gault SMC 6-1, 4-1ret.

#5 Mic Moore Union def. Daniel Stacy SMC 6-0, 6-0

#6 Ethan Wright Union def. Clayton Hernandez SMC 6-0, 6-0