Singles success sends GCU to WAC semifinals

Friday, April 22

Beaumont, Texas

7 a.m.

Grand Canyon

UT Rio Grande Valley

Photo by: Jeff Kellum

4/22/2022 3:16:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Lopes overcome early deficit with 4 singles wins

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon men's tennis team began the WAC Tournament with a 4-2 win over No. 5 seed UT Rio Grande Valley at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center on Friday.

The fourth-seeded Lopes (6-14) dropped the doubles point to the Vaqueros (6-17), but strong singles play overcame the early deficit and sent the team to the semifinals where they will face No. 1 seed and host Lamar on Saturday morning.

UTRGV took the doubles point and the early lead with wins at Courts 1 and 3. Junior Mariano Argote and freshman Martim Marujo lost 6-1 at the top court while senior Freddie Grant and sophomore Adrien Coulome lost 6-2 at Court 3. Sophomores Loic Van Zeggelaar and Stanislas De Samucewicz had their match left unfinished while trailing 5-2.

Like the Lopes did in the win over UTRGV two weeks ago, the team came out strong in singles to come back for the win. In Friday's match, GCU immediately had an advantage with five first-set wins on the six courts.

De Samucewicz continued his hot play with a 7-5, 6-1 win at Court 6 after overcoming a 5-4 deficit in the first set. Not long after, Van Zeggelaar clinched a dominant 6-0, 6-3 win at Court 4 to put GCU ahead 2-1.

Marujo put GCU on the brink of advancing with a 3-1 lead after his straight-set win at Court 4, but UTRGV countered with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Argote at the top singles court. It was not enough. Minutes later, Coulome, who has started at Court 6 the last four matches, won in straight sets to clinch the win for GCU.

Grant had his match left unfinished at Court 2 at 6-4, 3-2.

The Lopes and Cardinals will face off early on Saturday for a spot in the WAC Championship. The match will start at 7 a.m. (Phoenix time).