HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – James Madison men’s tennis opened Sun Belt Conference play by rallying in singles play for a thrilling 4-3 victory against South Alabama on Friday at East Campus Tennis Courts.
The Dukes (2-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) opened their home slate with the first win ever against the Jaguars (2-3, 0-1 Sun Belt) after claiming four singles courts and erasing a pair of deficits.
The Jaguars took an early 1-0 lead after capturing doubles wins on courts one and three. JMU held a lead on court four, but the visitors registered wins of 6-3 on court three and 6-4 on court one to clinch the point.
In singles play, all six bouts were highly competitive, with three going to three sets.
JMU tied the match at 1-1 on court three, as Aurelien Schmitt fended off Harold van Raemdonck by scores of 6-4, 6-4. Over on court one, despite a rally to force a third set, Esteve Agusti dropped the match to Juan Accossatto, at 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
The Dukes once again tied the match, this time at 2-2 on court two. After falling behind a set, Ryan Morgan bounced back for a dominant second and won a decisive deuce point in the third to upend Braden Hannig, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
In the second half of singles play, JMU seized control, as Zach Fleishman pulled away in the second frame to defeat Adam Bouyacoub, 6-4, 6-1, on court five to give the Dukes a 3-2 match lead.
Moments later, Francisco Sinopoli, who split the first two sets with Deren Yigin on court four, pulled away late to take the third and clinch the match with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 triumph.
In the final bout, Gur Libal battled close with Victor Frumholz on court six before the Jaguar rallied in the second for a 6-4, 7-5 win.
JMU returns to the court on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. when it hosts Washington & Lee at East Campus Tennis Courts.
— JMU Athletics —
