SUMTER, S.C. — Catawba College defeated Tusculum University 4-0 in the quarterfinal round of the South Atlantic Conference Men’s Tennis Championship tournament Wednesday afternoon at the Palmetto Tennis Center.
The top-seeded Indians (18-2), ranked 12th in Division II this week, won the doubles point and swept the first three singles matches from the eighth-seeded Pioneers (8-12) to advance to Thursday’s semifinals.
In doubles, Augustin Mastri and Luca Bergonzi defeated Rens Verhaar and Will Gee 6-2 at flight one, and Thomas Kostka teamed with Marcos Castares for a 6-2 win over Anton Krondell and Miles Ray at flight two to give Catawba a 1-0 lead in the match.
Catawba won the first set in each of the six singles matches, with Mateo Berne beating Nathan Matsuguma 6-2, 6-2 at flight three, Ryosuke Inagawa defeating Ray 6-0, 6-2 at flight five, and Castares downing Kai Poelchau 6-2, 6-1 at flight six.
Nine of Tusculum’s 12 losses this season came to opponents who were nationally ranked at the time of the match, with two other defeats to teams currently inside this week’s poll.
