Liberty University
North Alabama
Flames Sweep Lions 7-0 in First ASUN Conference Match
3/19/2021 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
The Liberty Flames earned a 7-0 road sweep against the North Alabama Lions on Friday afternoon at the UNA Varsity Tennis Courts.
Liberty reaches 10 wins on the season and bolsters its record to 10-5 and 1-0 in the ASUN. North Alabama slips to 2-9 overall and 0-1 in league play.
Thoughts From Head Coach Derek Schwandt
"The guys brought solid purpose, focus and passion today."
Liberty 7, North Alabama 0
Singles Competition
1. Nicaise Muamba (LIBERTYM) def. Carlos Matarredona (UNA) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
2. Deji Thomas-Smith (LIBERTYM) def. Kyle Johnson (UNA) 6-2, 6-2
3. Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) def. Guilherme Diniz (UNA) 6-0, 6-3
4. Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) def. Andreas Hansen (UNA) 7-5, 6-4
5. Goncalo Ferreira (LIBERTYM) def. Jamie Bixby (UNA) 6-4, 6-1
6. Steve Mundt (LIBERTYM) def. Tim Heslin (UNA) 6-0, 7-5
Doubles Competition
1. Carlos Matarredona/Andreas Hansen (UNA) vs. Christiaan Worst/Deji Thomas-Smith (LIBERTYM) 4-3, unfinished
2. R. Marques Da Silva/Nicaise Muamba (LIBERTYM) def. Guilherme Diniz/Tim Heslin (UNA) 6-1
3. Goncalo Ferreira/Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) def. Kyle Johnson/Jamie Bixby (UNA) 6-4
Liberty 10-5, 1-0 ASUN
North Alabama 2-9, 0-1 ASUN
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (5,3,2,6,4,1)
T-2:28
How It Happened
• Liberty won the doubles point for a sixth straight match to jump out to an early 1-0 lead. The Flames' most successful unit this spring, Rafael Marques Da Silva and Nicaise Muamba, ran their record to 9-3 on the season with a 6-1 result over Guilherme Diniz and Tim Heslin of the Lions on court two.
• The Flames' Goncalo Ferreira and Thando Longwe-Smit (No. 3 doubles), playing a competitive match together for the first time, wrapped up the doubles point for the guests with a 6-4 win against Kyle Johnson and Jamie Bixby.
• Ferreira, playing in the No. 5 singles position, also topped Bixby in singles, winning in straight sets (6-4, 6-1). Ferreira trailed 4-1 in the opening set but won 11 of the next 12 games to close out the match.
• Liberty led 2-0 after Ferreira's triumph and added to its lead (3-0), as Christiaan Worst bested Diniz 6-0, 6-3. Worst (7-5) has won his last five singles matches.
• Liberty's Deji Thomas-Smith, competing for the first time in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, clinched the Flames' victory by virtue of a 6-2, 6-2 outcome over Johnson of UNA. Thomas-Smith (7-5) has competed in five of the six spots (No. 2-6) in the singles lineup, this spring.
• Playing for the first time this spring, the Flames' Steve Mundt cruised to a 6-0 first set win versus Heslin in the No. 6 match. Mundt edged Heslin 7-5 in the second set for a 6-0, 7-5 victory and 5-0 Liberty lead.
• Longwe-Smit, competing in the No. 4 position for the first time in his career, trailed 5-4 in the first set of his match versus Andreas Hansen. The Liberty redshirt freshman took the next three games and the first set, 7-5. Longwe-Smit won another tightly-contested second set by a 6-4 score for a two-set win (7-5, 6-4).
• Three-time ASUN Player of the Week Muamba (Liberty) dropped his opening set 6-3 to Carlos Matarredona, but he rebounded to take the second set 6-4. In what was the only three-set match of the day, Muamba took the 10-point tiebreaker to secure his 11th win of the season (3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)) and the Liberty sweep.
• The Flames now have a pair of 7-0 wins, this spring. Liberty swept Radford 7-0, March 6 at the Liberty Tennis Complex.
• Today's Liberty victory marked its first ASUN win since April 13, 2019, a span of 706 days. The Flames did not compete in any conference matches in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• This is the first time since 2012 that Liberty has held a 10-5 or better record though 15 matches.
Next Up
• Liberty will be back in action at Lipscomb, Sunday. Match time between the Flames and Bisons (4-4, 0-0 ASUN) is scheduled for 3 p.m. Eastern (2 p.m. Central) at the Huston-Marsh-Griffith Tennis Center in Nashville, Tenn.
• The Flames are 1-0 all-time versus Lipscomb. Liberty defeated Lipscomb 4-3 in Lynchburg on March 30, 2019.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
5,3,2,6,4,1