Match 19
Score: Kennesaw State 4, Mercer 1 | Box Score | Photo Gallery
Records: Kennesaw State (12-7), Mercer (20-5)
Up Next: Saturday, April 15 at Lipscomb, 12 p.m.

KENNESAW, Ga. -- Reigning ASUN Player of the Week Fermin Calvo Barcelo put the capper on another win as the Kennesaw State men's tennis team knocked off in-state rival Mercer, 4-1, on Senior Night Wednesday at the Betty Siegel Courts.
 
The Owls recognized their five seniors – Jake Bouchillon, David Durham, Simon Pritchard, Sam Slade, and Drew Wendel – and it was Durham and Wendel who clinched the doubles point and provided two key singles points en route to the win.
 
The victory improved Kennesaw State to 12-7 overall, including a 9-2 record at home. Both the 12 overall wins and nine home wins are program records for the Owls. Mercer slipped to 20-5.
 
"I think it's really special for our seniors to play their final home match and beat our in-state rivals," said Director of Tennis Eduardo Rincon. "It's been really fun to see these grow over the last four years, and they've laid a foundation for this team. David has been a key element to this team and he brings a lot of energy. He's the kind of player, as a coach, I can count on, any time, any day. Four years ago, I talked to these seniors about leaving a legacy, and they've done that for themselves."
 
After Pritchard and Lucas de Torres Curth won their doubles match, 6-1, at No. 1, the pairing of Durham and Wendel clinched the match's first point with their, 7-5, victory at No. 3.
 
Mercer knotted the match at 1-1 with a win at No. 3 singles, but Wendel finished off Fernando Guardia, 6-2, 7-6 at No. 4, and Durham followed with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ruben Vanoppen at No. 5 to give the Owls a 3-1 advantage.
 
In a position to clinch the victory, Calvo Barcelo broke serve at 5-4 in the second set and secured his match at No. 2 over Sam Philp, 7-6, 6-4. The sophomore from Argentina, who has provided the clinching point in seven of the Owls' 12 wins this season, improved to 19-11 singles play this year – those 19 wins are a single-season record for the Owls.
 
Kennesaw State returns to action Saturday at Lipscomb in their regular-season finale. First serve is set for 12 p.m.

Singles
1. Simon Pritchard (KSU) vs. Nicolas Guillon (MER) 5-7, 5-5, unfinished
2. Fermin Calvo Barcelo (KSU) def. Sam Philp (MER) 7-6, 6-4
3. Olivier Stuart (MER) def. Sam Slade (KSUM) 6-2, 6-3
4. Drew Wendel (KSU) def. Fernando Guardia (MER) 6-2, 7-6
5. David Durham (KSU) def. Ruben Vanoppen (MER) 6-4, 6-4
6. Jake Bouchillon (KSU) vs. Stathis Tsiranidis (MER) 6-2, 4-6, 2-2, unfinished

Doubles
1. Lucas de Torres Curth/Simon Pritchard (KSU) def. Sam Philp/Olivier Stuart (MER) 6-1
2. David Durham/Drew Wendel (KSU) vs. Nicolas Guillon/Fernando Guardia (MER) 6-6, unfinished
3. Fermin Calvo Barcelo/Sam Slade (KSU) def. Ruben Vanoppen/Stathis Tsiranidis (MER) 7-5

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (3,4,5,2)

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