FLORENCE, Ala. (March 30, 2024) – The University of North Alabama men's tennis team wrapped up their first Atlantic Sun Conference home slate with a 5-2 win over Queens in Florence on Saturday afternoon.
North Alabama defeated the Royals for their 13th win of the season, remaining undefeated against Queens in the second all-time meeting. The Lions used a tiebreaker in the third doubles match to take the early advantage over the Royals, leading to four singles wins to clinch the conference bout.
All six Lions won a match for the second-straight dual, repeating the efforts in the first home ASUN match against EKU on March 28. Brain and Orgiles both finished with wins in singles and doubles, while freshmen top-flight pair Alberto Altur and Birtan Duran got back in the win column with a doubles victory. Junior Nazar Fedoryshyn and sophomore MISSING NAME both won from their respective singles courts.
Altur and Duran seized the first doubles win with a stellar 6-0 display over Win Steveker and Ram Mude. The Royals tied things at one in the second-flight match, but UNA's Brain and Orgiles overcame a tiebreaker from flight three to give the Lions the 1-0 with a 7-6 victory over Filippo Verdese and Laurenz Blickwede.
Orgiles began singles how he ended doubles, picking up his second win of the day with a 6-4, 6-4 win from the second flight. Fedoryshyn rebounded from his earlier doubles defeat with the second UNA singles win over Ram Mude, 6-3, 6-3.
The Royals made it interesting with two-straight singles wins from flights three and four, but Scotuzzi ended all hopes of a Queens' comeback by defeating Verdese in three sets from flight six. Scotuzzi battled back from dropping the opening set to take the remaing two en route to the 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 win. The Royals forced a third set against Brain from flight one, but the sophomore won the third set comfortably for a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 win over Blickwede.
UNA travels to Alabama's capital city for their next dual at non-conference opponent Alabama State on April 3. The Lions and Hornets are scheduled for first serve at 1 p.m.
North Alabama 5, Queens 2
Doubles
1. Alberto Altur/Birtan Duran (UNA) def. Win Steveker/Ram Mude (QOC), 6-0
2. Connor Enslin/Arenui Luethi (QOC) def. Nazar Fedoryshyn/Federico Scotuzzi (UNA), 6-1
3. Izan Orgiles/Lachlan Brain (UNA) def. Filippo Verdese/Laurenz Blickwede (QOC), 7-6
Singles
1. Lachlan Brain (UNA) def. Laurenz Blickwede (QOC), 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
2. Izan Orgiles (UNA) def. Win Steveker (QOC), 6-4, 6-4
3. Arenui Luethi (QOC) def. Alberto Altur (UNA), 6-0, 6-7, 6-2
4. Connor Enslin (QOC) def. Birtan Duran (UNA), 6-4, 6-3
5. Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) def. Ram Mude (QOC), 6-3, 6-3
6. Federico Scotuzzi (UNA) def. Filippo Verdese (QOC), 1-6, 7-5, 6-0
Match Notes
North Alabama: 13-6
Queens: 9-8
Order of Completion: Doubles (1,2,3) Singles (2,5,4,3,6,1)
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.