DeLand, Fla. ? The 75th-ranked Stetson men's tennis team (9-3, 4-0 Atlantic Sun) swept the doubles matches and won five of six singles matches to rack up its seventh consecutive victory Saturday afternoon at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center. The Hatters defeated conference foe Jacksonville (5-6, 2-1 A-Sun) 6-1.
Three Hatters won their singles matches in straight sets, highlighted by freshman Gokay Celik (Istanbul, Turkey) who completely blanked Alberto Lopez 6-0, 6-0 at #6 singles. Sophomore Hicham Laalej (Meknes, Morocco) won 6-4, 6-3 at the #2 position against JU's Victor Vaz while senior Joey Jones (Titusville, Fla.) beat Francisco Riveroll 6-3, 6-3.
All the doubles matches went to the Hatters with no Dolphin pairing managing to take more than four games off a Stetson duo.
“This was a great win today in some of the most adverse conditions we have ever played in,” Head Coach Pierre Pilote said. “Jacksonville played very well in singles and could have turned the match around, but our guys kept their composure and were able to finish them off. To be 9-3 at this point in the season against the toughest schedule we have ever played is a testament to this team's ability to answer challenges.”
Stetson continues its nine-match homestand Tuesday afternoon at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center against Cleveland State. The match begins at 2:30 p.m.
