Liberty University
Florida Atlantic
No. 60 FAU Snaps No. 71 Liberty’s 17-Match Home Winning Streak
3/26/2022 6:53:00 PM | Men's Tennis
No. 60 Florida Atlantic snapped No. 71 Liberty's 17-match home winning streak with a 4-3 win over the Flames, Saturday afternoon at the Liberty Tennis Complex.
The Owls improve to 14-4 in 2022 and have won three straight matches. The Flames fall to 5-9 on the season following the non-conference loss. Liberty's setback was its first at home since Feb. 7, 2020. The Flames entered Saturday with a 3-0 home mark in 2022, were 12-0 at home in 2021 and won their final two home matches in 2020.
#60 Florida Atlantic 4, #71 Liberty 3
Singles Competition
- Josh Wilson (LIBERTYM) def. Sarrio, Carles (FAU-M) 6-4, 6-1
- Huempfner, Kevin (FAU-M) def. Nicaise Muamba (LIBERTYM) 6-4, 6-1
- Fernandez Horta, A (FAU-M) def. R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) 6-2, 2-6, 7-5
- Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) def. Jadoun, Nicolas (FAU-M) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
- Escandell, Gerard (FAU-M) def. Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) 6-3, 6-4
- Stodder, Finn (FAU-M) def. Goncalo Ferreira (LIBERTYM) 6-3, 7-5
Doubles Competition
- Nicaise Muamba/R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) def. Huempfner, Kevin/Krolo, Filip (FAU-M) 6-1
- Omar El Kadi/Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) def. #79 Sarrio, Carles/Robbins, Hunter (FAU-M) 7-5
- Fernandez Horta, A/Stodder, Finn (FAU-M) def. Josh Wilson/Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) 6-4
Liberty 5-9; National ranking #71
Florida Atlantic 14-4; National ranking #60
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (5,1,6,2,3,4)
Official: B Harrison/J Conley T-3:07
How It Happened
• Liberty won the doubles point for the third straight match. The Flames' top duo, Nicaise Muamba and Rafael Marques Da Silva, dominated their match with Kevin Huempfner and Filip Krolo, winning 6-1.
• Florida Atlantic countered with a 6-4 triumph from Alvaro Fernandez Horta and Finn Stodder on court three over Josh Wilson and Christiaan Worst.
• Liberty's No. 2 duo of Omar El Kadi and Thando Longwe-Smit were tied 5-all against No. 79 Carles Sarrio and Hunter Robbins with the doubles point on the line. El Kadi and Longwe-Smit pulled out a 7-5 victory, their first career ranked doubles win, to put the hosts ahead 1-0.
• The two squads began singles competition before play was halted due to inclement weather. The match resumed outdoors one hour and 41 minutes later, and Gerard Escandall was the first player to put a point on the board in singles. Escandall downed Longwe-Smit 6-3, 6-4.
• Liberty's Josh Wilson won for the second straight day in the No. 1 slot in the lineup, taking down Sarrio in straight sets (6-4, 6-1). The Reigate, United Kingdom native (23-9 overall, 2021-22) bolsters his spring singles mark to a team-best 8-4.
• The Flames' 2-1 lead was short-lived, as Stodder topped Goncalo Ferreira 6-3, 7-5 at No. 6 singles. FAU took its first lead, 3-2, by first over a 6-4, 6-1 result from Huempfner versus Muamba in the No. 2 slot.
• The final two matches (No. 3 and No. 4) lasted three sets. Liberty's Marques Da Silva led FAU's Fernandez Horta 4-1 in the third set before the Owls junior came back to win the set 7-5 and the match, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.
• With the outcome already decided and FAU leading 4-2, the Flames' Worst scratched out a three-set victory (4-6, 6-4, 6-2) versus Nicolas Jadoun on court four.
• Liberty falls to 2-5 in matches decided by a 4-3 score, this season.
Next Up
• Liberty will play its third match in as many days when it hosts Lipscomb (4-8, 1-1 ASUN) on Sunday afternoon. Match time between the Flames and Bisons is 3 p.m. at the Liberty Tennis Complex.
• Liberty holds a 3-0 all-time mark versus against Lipscomb. The Flames beat the Bisons twice in 2021 by 5-2 and 6-1 scores.
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:
5,1,6,2,3,4
