Score: Kennesaw State 5, Belmont 2
Records: Kennesaw State (1-1), Belmont (3-1)
Key Players:  Manuel Castellanos (7-5, 6-4); Lucas de Torres Curth (4-6, 6-2, 6-2); David Durham (6-4, 7-5); Drew Wendel (6-1, 3-6, 6-4)

Box Score (PDF)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Kennesaw State men's tennis team fought off an undefeated Belmont Bruin squad to earn its first victory of the 2016 spring season, taking the dual match by a final score of 5-2 at the Nashboro Tennis Courts.

Sophomore Manuel Castellanos (7-5, 6-4), freshman Lucas de Torres Curth (4-6, 6-2, 6-2 ), David Durham (6-4, 7-5); Drew Wendel (6-1, 3-6, 6-4) all won their singles matches after the Owls earned the important doubles point, winning the first two matches to take the needed four points for the match victory.

The doubles' teams of Simon Pritchard and Castellanos (6-2) and Sam Slade and Jorge Wilton (6-2) jumpstarted KSU's day, earning a point after two straight victories over the Bruins to jump out to a quick 1-0 lead.

The momentum carried into singles play, as a lineup on No.1 Pritchard, No. 2 Castellanos, No. 3 Sam Slade, No. 4 De Torres Curth, No. 5 Durham and No. 6 Wendel took down Belmont to earn a hard-fought victory on the road.

Leading 3-2 in a back-and-forth dual match, the Owls needed one more match to secure the victory and Durham clinched the Owls' victory with a key win over Zak Khan to seal the day. Wendel also had a key victory late, earning a hard-fought three-set match win to help the Owls take the dual match on the road.
 
Next Up
The Owls will take the next week off and will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m., taking on Alabama State in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
Coach Rincon Quote
"Today was a total team effort. We did a good job of taking the doubles point. Manuel Castellanos and Lucas de Torres Curth both took care of their courts and kept the momentum going. David Durham did a great job clinching the win."
 - Kennesaw State Director of Tennis Eduardo Rincon
 
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