Box Score WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- The Fire men's tennis team knew it was in for a battle against Warner in a key Sun Conference Match. Leading 2-1 after doubles, and then 4-1 after David Veliz and Gelawdiyos Haile clinched wins at #1 and #2 singles, the Fire needed just one more win.
The Royals battled back to win at #6, #5, then won at #3 in a second set tiebreaker to even the match at four.
The final match of the day was at #4 singles, where Drew Dickens came away with a 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 win with both players battling cramps and injuries throughout to give SEU the 5-4 win.
"To beat a team we hadn't even scored on previously speaks a lot to the progress this team has made," said coach Bill May.
The Fire have clinched their first bid to The Sun Conference playoffs for the first time in program history with the win. They return to the court on Saturday to take on Cornerstone.
RESULTS
Doubles
#1 David Veliz & Gelawdiyos Haile (SEU) def. Juan Aranzazu & Juan Espinel 8-8 (7-2)
#2 Guillerme De Vauxclairs & Renan Gambin (WU) def. Jordan Harris & Patrick Kearney 8-4
#3 Drew Dickens & Aaron Skingley (SEU) def. Rafael Da Luz & Bruno Fonseca 8-6
Singles
#1 David Veliz (SEU) def. Juan Espinel 6-0, 6-0
#2 Gelawdiyos Haile (SEU) def. Juan Aranzazu 6-0, 6-0
#3 Guillerme De Vauxclairs (WU) def. Jordan Harris 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
#4 Drew Dickens (SEU) def. Rafael Da Luz 6-1, 3-6, 7-5
#5 Renan Gambin (WU) def. Aaron Skingley 6-3, 6-3
#6 Bruno Fonseca (WU) def. Nate Gangelhoff 6-2, 6-1
