Liberty University
No. 49 UNCW
No. 43 Liberty Battles Past No. 49 UNCW 5-2 on Friday, Stays Unbeaten at Home
3/26/2021 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
No. 43 Liberty battled past No. 49 UNCW for a 5-2 victory at the Liberty Tennis Complex on Friday to stay unbeaten at home in 2021.
The Flames, who earned their first team national ranking two days ago, competed in their first head-to-head ranked battle in program history today against the 49th-ranked Seahawks. Liberty ran its home record to 7-0 this season and improved to 12-5 this season following the non-conference win today.
The Flames have won four straight matches overall. UNCW (7-3) saw its five-match winning streak halted with today's loss. Liberty's win over UNCW was also its first-ever triumph over the Seahawks. The Flames had been 0-7 versus UNCW prior to today's outcome.
Thoughts From Head Coach Derek Schwandt
"It was a strong team performance today. I love to see our guys competing hard for each other."
#43 Liberty 5, #49 UNCW 2
Singles Competition
1. R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) def. Bruno Caula (UNCW) 7-6 (9-7), 6-3
2. Deji Thomas-Smith (LIBERTYM) def. Daniel Groom (UNCW) 6-1, 6-4
3. Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) def. Davide Innocenti (UNCW) 6-2, 7-5
4. Bekhzad Rasamatov (UNCW) def. Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) 6-7 (7-10), 7-6, 1-0 (10-5)
5. Gabriel Hurtado (UNCW) def. Goncalo Ferreira (LIBERTYM) 6-0, 7-5
6. Zion Heaven (LIBERTYM) def. Michael Copeland (UNCW) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
Doubles Competition
1. Deji Thomas-Smith/Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) def. Bruno Caula/Daniel Groom (UNCW) 6-1
2. R. Marques Da Silva/Zion Heaven (LIBERTYM) def. Gabriel Hurtado/Leonard Sprovieri (UNCW) 6-3
3. Bekhzad Rasamatov/Dillon Gooch (UNCW) def. Steve Mundt/Goncalo Ferreira (LIBERTYM) 6-2
UNCW 7-3; National ranking #49
Liberty 12-5; National ranking #43
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,5,1,3,6,4)
Official: B Hajek/W Jones T-2:52
How It Happened
• Liberty took the early 1-0 lead by winning the doubles session. The Flames' No. 1 unit, Deji Thomas-Smith and Christiaan Worst, defeated UNCW's Bruno Caula and Daniel Groom 6-1. Thomas-Smith and Worst are 6-3 on the year and have won three consecutive matches.
• The Seahawks evened it up in doubles on court three, as Bekhzad Rasamatov and Dillon Gooch got past Steve Mundt and Goncalo Ferreira 6-2.
• Liberty's No. 2 doubles tandem, Rafael Marques Da Silva and Zion Heaven, earned a win in their first-ever competitive match together to secure the first point of the day for the hosts. Marques Da Silva and Heaven won 6-3 against Gabriel Hurtado and Leonard Sprovieri.
• Reigning ASUN Player of the Week Thomas-Smith of the Flames continued his strong play in singles, besting Groom in back-to-back sets, 6-1, 6-4. Thomas-Smith's triumph, his third straight, gave the home side a two-point cushion (2-0).
• UNCW's Hurtado put the visitors on the board when he defeated Ferreira of the Flames in two sets (6-0, 7-5) on court five.
• Liberty's Marques Da Silva, playing in the No. 1 singles slot for the first time in his career, drew the Flames within a point of victory (3-1) as he knocked off Caula in two sets, 7-6 (7), 6-3.
• Worst clinched the match for the Flames in the No. 3 singles position. He topped Davide Innocenti of the Seahawks 6-2, 7-5 to give Liberty its first-ever win as a ranked team and a 4-1 lead in the match.
• The Flames' fifth point of the match came from Heaven on court six. The Ewa Beach, Hawaii native earned his first singles victory at Liberty, a three-set decision over the Seahawks' Michael Copeland.
• UNCW's Rasamatov settled the final score at 5-2 with a come-from-behind win (6-7, 7-6, 1-0 (5)) against his counterpart, Liberty's Thando Longwe-Smit, at No. 4 singles.
• Today's result was Liberty's first victory over a ranked team since a 4-3 win over No. 64 Oklahoma State on Feb. 28, 2012.
• In Derek Schwandt's four seasons as head coach of the Flames, Liberty is 22-3 at on its home courts.
Next Up
• Liberty will head to Bellarmine (3-15, 0-2 ASUN) for a Sunday road ASUN Conference bout. Match time is 1 p.m. at the Eddie Weber Tennis Complex in Louisville, Ky.
• The Flames and Knights, who are in their first year in the ASUN, met for the first time on March 7, 2020 in Lynchburg. Liberty earned a 7-0 sweep that day.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3,2
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
2,5,1,3,6,4