By Marlene Estenssoro Pineda
 
GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T almost handed Campbell its first men's tennis loss in Big South Conference play as two down-to-the wire singles matchup determined the outcome in a 4-3 Campbell win at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center.
 
A&T is 8-7 overall and 1-4 in Big South play as the Aggies loss their second straight conference match by a 4-3 margin.
 
Campbell clinched the doubles point as they won at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. The Campbell duo of Tomas Balazi and Leon Petko defeated junior Esteban Lopez and senior Vasil Ivanov 6-0. Freshmen Ethan Baly and Ian Pedersen then lost to Ted Williams and Gustavs Lukstins 6-1.
 
The doubles match between A&T freshmen Eder Blanco and Jorge Perez and Campbell's Damien Nezar and Benjamin Maes ended with Blanco and Perez leading 4-3 because the doubles point was already clinched.
 
With the doubles point in hand, the Camels eventually took a 3-2 lead with No. 6 and No. 2 singles still undecided. At No. 6, Pedersen lost the first set Noe MacQuart 6-2 before fighting back to win  the second set 6-2. Meanwhile, Ivanov lost 7-6, (8-6) in the tiebreaker to Balazi in the first set before winning the second 6-4.
 
Unfortunately for the Aggies, Pedersen dropped the third set 6-3 to MacQuart to give Campbell (10-4, 4-0 Big South) the win as Ivanov won a third-set tiebreaker 10-4 to give the Aggies their third point. Ivanov improved to 10-5 overall and 4-1 in conference play. He is 10-1 in conference competition in his career.
 
In other singles matches, Lopez improved to 11-3 on the season after he defeated Nezar 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1 singles. Lopez's 11 wins matches Ivanov's 11 wins in 2019. Lopez is 3-2 in Big South play.
 
The Aggies other win in singles play came at No. 3 as Blanco defeated Petko 7-6 (7-4), 6-2. Blanco is 9-5 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
 
At No. 4 singles, Baly lost to Robin Angles 6-1, 6-0 and at No. 5, Perez lost to Maes 6-3, 7-6, (7-2).
 
Aggies returned to action Thursday, March 24 when they play at Lenoir-Rhyne University at 1 p.m.