Flames Open Fall Season with Strong Performance at Penn Invitational
9/15/2023 10:34:00 PM | Men's Tennis
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Liberty men's tennis was victorious in all but one match to open the fall tournament season at the Penn Invitational, facing Navy on Friday.
Liberty posted a perfect 7-0 singles mark and 2-1 doubles record against the Midshipmen.
The Flames are coming off a title run at the inaugural Universal Tennis NIT Championship last spring. Liberty debuts in Conference USA for the first time this year. The Flames look to build off back-to-back conference championships in 2021 and 2022.
Liberty was triumphant in every singles match, led by Rafael Marques Da Silva besting Sasha Panyan 7-6 (4), 6-0. The Flames did not drop a set in singles play.
Thoughts from Head Coach Derek Schwandt
"The team did a great job of competing from start to finish. We are focused on building relationships and getting better every day. We are excited for the challenge tomorrow against Yale."
Key Stats and Notes
Up Next
Day two of the Penn Invitational will commence at 9 a.m., Saturday, with Liberty taking on Yale.
Liberty posted a perfect 7-0 singles mark and 2-1 doubles record against the Midshipmen.
The Flames are coming off a title run at the inaugural Universal Tennis NIT Championship last spring. Liberty debuts in Conference USA for the first time this year. The Flames look to build off back-to-back conference championships in 2021 and 2022.
Liberty was triumphant in every singles match, led by Rafael Marques Da Silva besting Sasha Panyan 7-6 (4), 6-0. The Flames did not drop a set in singles play.
Thoughts from Head Coach Derek Schwandt
"The team did a great job of competing from start to finish. We are focused on building relationships and getting better every day. We are excited for the challenge tomorrow against Yale."
Key Stats and Notes
- Marques Da Silva faced the opponent's No. 1, Panyan, in both singles and doubles. The senior played No. 2 for the Flames in 2023 and will likely look to fill the void left by long-time No. 1 Josh Wilson.
- Marques Da Silva fought to a tiebreaker in his singles match with Panyan but did not drop a game in the second set. In doubles, Marques Da Silva was paired with frequent spring partner Thando Longwe-Smit. The pair took down Panyan and Luke Garner, 6-4.
- Luis Felipe Miguel is seeing his first fall season action after he joined the team this past January. Miguel similarly was pushed to tiebreaker in the first set but ultimately took down Garner 7-6 (2), 6-4.
- Three other Flames, Chase Robinson, Ernst Gouws and Matija Samardzic, saw their first action in a fall tournament. Robinson and Gouws return from redshirting during the 2022-23 season, while Samardzic joins the Flames as a true freshman.
- All three of the new Flames were triumphant in their fall season debuts. Robinson bested Steve Nguyen 6-1, 6-2, Gouws topped Tommy Kim 6-3, 6-3, and Samardzic outlasted Jason Kim 6-3, 6-4.
- Longwe-Smit bested Nathan Nguyen in singles, 6-2, 6-3.
Up Next
Day two of the Penn Invitational will commence at 9 a.m., Saturday, with Liberty taking on Yale.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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