Liberty University
Radford
Flames Sweep Highlanders 7-0 at Liberty Tennis Complex
3/6/2021 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
The Flames men's tennis team earned its first-ever 7-0 sweep of the Radford Highlanders, Saturday at the Liberty Tennis Complex.
Liberty stays undefeated at home (6-0) and bolsters its overall mark to 8-4 on the year while handing Radford (2-1) its first setback of the spring. The Flames wrap up a 2-0 week after they defeated Richmond 5-2 on Thursday afternoon at the Liberty Tennis Complex.
Thoughts From Head Coach Derek Schwandt
"The team brought the focus and passion today on all of the courts. It was a solid push from the whole team."
Liberty 7, Radford 0
Singles Competition
1. Nicaise Muamba (LIBERTYM) def. SIROUS, Yevhen (RADM) 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
2. Josh Wilson (LIBERTYM) def. TARAMONLIS, Demis (RADM) 6-3, 6-2
3. R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) def. SEVERIN, Guilherme (RADM) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
4. Deji Thomas-Smith (LIBERTYM) def. RAPTIS, Konstantinos (RADM) 6-3, 6-1
5. Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) def. SILVA, Andres (RADM) 6-2, 6-4
6. Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) def. BALSEKAR, Aditya (RADM) 7-5, 6-4
Doubles Competition
1. Josh Wilson/Goncalo Ferreira (LIBERTYM) def. SIROUS, Yevhen/SEVERIN, Guilherme (RADM) 6-4
2. Christiaan Worst/Deji Thomas-Smith (LIBERTYM) vs. TARAMONLIS, Demis/SILVA, Andres (RADM) 6-6 (1-2), unfinished
3. Nicaise Muamba/R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) def. RAPTIS, Konstantinos/BALSEKAR, Aditya (RADM) 6-2
Radford 2-1
Liberty 8-4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,2,4,1,6,3)
Official: J Conley/D Harrison T-2:43
How It Happened
• Liberty's No. 3 and No. 1 doubles units were the two pairings to emerge victorious on Saturday. The Flames' Nicaise Muamba and Rafael Marques Da Silva (No. 3 doubles) continued their winning ways with a 6-2 result versus the Highlanders' Konstantinos Raptis and Aditya Balsekar. The duo is now 7-2 in the No. 3 slot and owns a five-match winning streak.
• On court one, Josh Wilson and Goncalo Ferreira of the Flames defeated Yevhen Sirous and Guilherme Severin 6-4 to secure the doubles point and a 1-0 advantage for the home side.
• Five of Liberty's six singles victories came in straight sets.
• For the second straight match, Liberty's Christiaan Worst closed out his singles contest first. The sophomore bested Andres Silva in two sets (6-2, 6-4).
• In the No. 2 singles match, Wilson (Liberty) extended the Flames' lead to 3-0 by virtue of a 6-3, 6-2 win over Taramonlis (Radford).
• At No. 4 singles, Liberty's Deji Thomas-Smith defeated Raptis 6-3, 6-1 to make it 4-0 Liberty, securing the team victory.
• Two days after earning his 50th career singles victory at Liberty, the Flames' Muamba added to his total with a victory versus Sirous (7-6 (2), 6-2) in the No. 1 singles bout.
• Two days after picking up his first singles win as a Flame, Liberty's Thando Longwe-Smit improved to 2-0 on the year with another two-set triumph, this time against the Highlanders' Balsekar (7-5, 6-4) on court six.
• The Flames' Marques Da Silva (No. 3 singles) picked up the team's seventh and final point of the afternoon with his team-leading third three-set victory of the season. The two-time ASUN Player of the Week defeated Severin 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
• Of Liberty's six home wins in 2021, three came at Crosswhite Athletic Club prior to the Liberty Indoor Tennis Center opening. The Flames have one win at the new facility (Feb. 15 vs. William & Mary) and two victories in the last three days at the outdoor stadium courts at the Liberty Tennis Complex.
Next Up
• Liberty will begin a four-match road trip at South Florida (5-2), Wednesday afternoon. This will be the first meeting between the Flames and Bulls. First serve is 1:30 p.m. at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
5,2,4,1,6,3