The Elon University men’s tennis team won the doubles point but couldn’t hold on to the lead as No. 28 Old Dominion University snapped the Phoenix’ five-game win streak Saturday at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
“I told our team we have to get a little bit tougher,” said Elon coach Michael Leonard. “I think we had to go through some of this to kind of get ourselves where we need to be in a month or so.”
Juniors Chris Humphreys and Petar Tomic lived up to their billing as CAA Doubles Team of the Week, delivering a 6-3 victory at No. 1 doubles — their fourth win in a row.
“Chris and I, from the very beginning week, we clicked,” said Tomic. “I hope we’re going to play as well as we are now [going forward].”
Redshirt freshman Neal Port and freshman Salvador Mijares clinched the doubles point and a 1-0 lead for Elon with a 6-4 win at No. 3 singles.
The momentum from doubles play didn’t quite carry through for the Phoenix, as Old Dominion won in straight sets at courts 4 and 5 to take a 2-1 lead. Freshman Mario Paccini fought hard to force a third set against ODU’s No. 103-ranked sophomore Adam Moundir. Paccini took the second set 6-2 but Moundir won the No. 1 singles match 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.
The Monarchs later clinched the match with freshman Aziz Kijametovic’s win at No. 2 singles over freshman Felipe Sarrasegue 6-4, 6-4. Mijares and senior Robert Lindgren added points for the Phoenix after their opponents retired.
Elon will look to get back on track at 2 p.m. Friday when the Phoenix travels to Winthrop University.