Men's Tennis | 3/10/2024 11:33:00 PM
Box Score
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Fresh off a perfect spring break, the North Carolina A&T Aggies men's tennis team returned to North Carolina for an opportunity to solidify the program's resurgence with a significant signature win over the fourth-ranked team in the nation, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
The Aggies could not pull off the win, losing to the Wake 4-0 Sunday afternoon at the Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center. A&T will fail to match its 13-0 start from last season, falling to 9-1 on the season. But even without the win, the Aggies proved again they are a team you must take seriously.
The afternoon started with A&T's Mathieu Dussaubat teaming with Ethan Baly at No. 3 doubles. The duo lost to Luciano Tacchi and Saud Alhogbani 6-1. Wake won the doubles point when DK Suresh Ekambaram and Luca Pow defeated the Aggies No. 1 duo, Esteban Lopez and Lucas Coupo-Moison, 6-1. The doubles match between Wake's Holden Koons and Jamieson Nathan and A&T's Ian Pedersen and Said Akbarov went unfinished.
"Our doubles opponents had good serves and volleys and took advantage of all their opportunities," said Coupo-Moison.
Dussaubat said in his doubles match with Baly that they needed to keep first serves inbounds and return well. He wanted the Demon Deacon players to work longer and harder for their points. He would have another chance to accomplish this goal at No. 6 singles but lost to Jamieson Nathan, 6-0, 6-2.
"In singles, I fought well, but he put more balls inbounds than me and controlled the points," said Dussaubat. I could have done a better job staying more time on the court, but I'm proud of the guys and the way they played."
Wake took a 3-0 lead when Alhogbani defeated freshman Kaua Santos, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles. The Demon Deacons clinched the win at No. 2 singles as Matthew Thomson beat Coupo-Moison 6-2, 6-3.
"Our opponents in doubles had good serves and volleys and took advantage of all their opportunities," said Coupo-Moison. "I missed some opportunities he gave me my singles match. I didn't hold my serve a couple of times, so I'm a bit frustrated about this match. It could have turned out a different way. I tried as much as I could to stay on the court to let the three other guys finish their tough matches."
Lopez, who beat the reigning Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) player of the year during the fall season, got to face off against the 22nd-ranked player in the country, Filippo Moroni, at No. 1 singles. Lopez led 6-4 before Moroni forced a tiebreaker set, winning set No. 1, 7-6, and 7-5 in the tiebreaker. Lopez trailed 5-0 in the second when the overall match ended.
"I fought for it, but I lost," said Lopez. He won the match by making really good plays, but I'm happy because I competed well and gave everything on the court."
Ian Pedersen was in the third set against Wake's Luca Pow at No. 2 singles before the match ended. He lost the first set 6-2 before rebounding to win Set No. 2 6-1. The third set was tied 2-2.
"I started a little bit sloppy, and I wasn't taking advantage of my serve," Pedersen said about his singles match. "But I started playing better and serving well in the second set. I kept that level up until we finished."
Said Akbarov also forced a tiebreaker in the first. His tiebreaker came against Holden Koons at No. 4 singles. Koons, James Madison's No. 1 singles player last season before transferring, won the first set over Akbarov 7-6 and 7-2 in the tiebreaker. Akbarov trailed 3-0 in the second.
"I was playing amazing, and I was on the same level as the guy," said Akbarov about his singles match. "I could have won the first set, but I had moments that got away from me. My opponent was really good, and we played a good tennis match."
The Aggies welcome rival North Carolina Central University to Greensboro on Friday for a 2 p.m. matchup.
