Lopes down Griz in comeback

Friday, February 26

Phoenix, Ariz.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Montana

2/26/2016 10:09:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: Steven Gonzalez

PHOENIX – The Grand Canyon men's tennis team made it two wins in-a-row after defeating Montana 4-3. The Lopes had to mount a comeback but behind four wins in singles play, GCU picked up its sixth win of the season.

"Tonight was a great win because we had to dig deep and be mentally tough," head coach Greg Prudhomme. "Montana put up a great fight until the very end so to come from behind and clinch the match in a deciding three-set match is huge."

After dropping the doubles point, GCU rallied to take four of the six singles matches to pull off the comeback. Felix Schueller came out on top on court two defeating Peter Mimnagh-Fleming 6-4, 6-2 to put GCU on the board. Freshman Mathieu Rajaonah had an impressive day in singles on court four with a victory over Tomasz Soltyka. Rajaonah couldn't have asked for a better start in singles, taking the first set 6-0 and in the second set, Rajaonah shut the door defeating Tomasz 6-2. Alexander Roggenkamp recorded GCU's third victory of the day on court three with a win over Alexander Canellopoulos 6-2, 7-5.

After GCU were defeated on Courts 1 and 5, it was all up to GCU's Justin Cvitanovic and Montana's Victor Casadevall on Court 6 to decide the winner. Cvitanovic started out the match by taking the first set 6-1 but the Casadevall would force a third set after a 6-1 victory in the second set. With the match on the line the freshman, Cvitanovic, would deliver his biggest win of the season with a 6-4 victory in the third set to down the Griz 4-3.

"Overall it was a great win because everyone gave it their all," Prudhomme said. "We will continue to work hard to become better in our doubles play but regardless I am proud of our mental toughness tonight."

GCU will close out the weekend at home on Sunday, Feb. 28, when it hosts Air Force at the Paseo Racquet Club.

Singles
1. BRANZBURG, Semion (UM) def. Mitch Maroscher (GCU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. Felix Schueller (GCU) def. MIMNAGH-FLEMING, P. (UM) 6-4, 6-2
3. Alexander Roggenkamp (GCU) def. CANELLOPOLOS, A. (UM) 6-2, 7-5
4. Mathieu Rajaonah (GCU) def. SOLTYKA, Tomasz (UM) 6-0, 6-2
5. SCHMIDL, Yannick (UM) def. Mathieu Ounanian (GCU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Justin Cvitanovic (GCU) def. CASADEVALL, Victor (UM) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4
Doubles
1. Felix Schueller/Alexander Roggenkamp (GCU) def. MIMNAGH-FLEMING, P./BRANZBURG, Semion (UM) 6-4
2. SCHMIDL, Yannick/CANELLOPOLOS, A. (UM) def. Mathieu Rajaonah/Adrian Legarreta (GCU) 6-3
3. SOLTYKA, Tomasz/CASADEVALL, Victor (UM) def. Mitch Maroscher/Meidy Chazeau (GCU) 6-3