FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. It was a split decision for Methodist's men's tennis team Friday afternoon as one half of the squad hosted and defeated Virginia Wesleyan University, 8-1, at the Clayton Tennis Center, while the other half traveled to Wilson, North Carolina, where it was downed, 7-0, by host Barton College.
The Monarchs and VWU are NCAA Division III members, while Barton is a D-II institution.
THE ESSENTIALS
Final scores: Methodist def. Va. Wesleyan, 8-1; Barton def. Methodist, 7-0
Records: Methodist 1-2, Va. Wesleyan 0-2, Barton 1-4
Locations: Clayton Tennis Center, Fayetteville, N.C.; BC Tennis Complex, Wilson, N.C.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The doubles tandems of Coleman Baker and Trent Harner, Wynn Johnson and Jacob Oehser, and Kayhahn Alikhani and Hayden Wilfong swept their matches to boost Methodist to a quick 3-0 lead over visiting Va. Wesleyan.
- Harner added the fourth point with his 6-1, 6-1 win at 2-singles, and Wilfong clinched the team victory with a 1 and 3 win at No. 4 over Andreas Combos.
- Over at Barton, the reverse was occurring as the Bulldogs broke out with three doubles wins, capturing -- in the NCAA Division I and II format -- the lone doubles point.
- Barton swept the six singles matches, though Methodist's Max Linder captured three games in his opening set and two more in the deciding second during his loss at 3-singles.
NEXT UP
Methodist heads north on March 2 for a pair of non-conference matches in Chestertown, Maryland, where it will take on host Washington College in a late-morning match, followed by a neutral-site bout against the College of Charleston in the afternoon.
