LEBANON, Tenn. – Cumberland lost all three doubles matches but stormed back with singles wins at Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5, as the No. 11 Bulldogs opened the dual match schedule with a 4-3 win over NCAA Division I Belmont University late Friday at the Wildwood Tennis Club in Brentwood, Tenn.
The Bulldogs played without No. 1 player Antonio Manual Marcelo because of injury but still overcame a slow start to post the victory.
The Bruins (1-3) won all three doubles matches, but in Division I, the doubles counts for just one point in the overall match score, a big help for Cumberland in the end.
Renato Antun and Henrik Claesson defeated Pedro Rodrigues and Pablo Borrero, 8-4, at No. 1, while Henrique Norbiato and Fernando Mussolini won 8-6 at No. 2 against Andres Burgos and Sebastian Nava and Bruno Silva and Navarro Veys posted an 8-4 triumph at No. 3 versus Cristhian Hernandez and Jeremy Fleming.
In singles Belmont picked up wins at Nos. 1 and 6, with Antun defeating Rodrigues, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 1 and Silva collecting a 6-4, 6-2, win versus Dylan Nelson at No. 6. But the Bulldogs won the other four matches in straight sets in the middle of the lineup.
Borrero registered a 6-4, 7-6 (3), victory over Norbiato at No. 2, while Burgos claimed a 6-4, 6-4, triumph at No. 3 versus Mussolini. Nava won the first set, 6-4, against Veys at No. 4 and the two were tied at 1-1 in the second set before Veys retired. Fleming also posted a 6-2, 6-2, victory at No. 5 over Claesson.
Cumberland opens the home schedule this Wednesday against long-time rival Martin Methodist at 1 p.m. at the Tommy Gray Memorial Courts on the CU campus.
#11 Cumberland Univ. 4, Belmont Univ. 3
SINGLES
1. Renato Antun (BEL) def. Pedro Rodrigues (CU), 6-1, 6-0
2. Pablo Borrero (CU) def. Henrique Norbiato (BEL), 6-4, 7-6 (3)
3. Andres Burgos (CU) def. Fernando Mussolini (BEL), 6-4, 6-4
4. Sebastian Nava (CU) def. Navarro Veys (BEL), 6-4, 1-1, retired
5. Jeremy Fleming (CU) def. Henrik Claesson (BEL), 6-2, 6-2
6. Bruno Silva (BEL) def. Dylan Nelson (CU), 6-4, 6-2
DOUBLES
1. Antun-Claesson (BEL) def. Rodrigues-Borrero (CU), 8-4
2. Norbiato-Mussolini (BEL) def. Burgos-Nava (CU), 8-6
3. Silva-Veys (BEL) def. Cristhian Hernandez-Fleming (CU), 8-4
