DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson men's tennis team (9-2) ran its winning streak to seven matches with a 7-0 shutout of visiting Eastern Kentucky (7-8) Wednesday afternoon at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center. Four Hatters were double winners, including senior Mark Mestan (Cologne, Germany) and sophomore Cesare Gallo (Portogruaro, Italy), who have each won seven consecutive singles matches.
Gallo and his partner, sophomore Maksim Levanovich (Minsk, Belarus), along with the team of Mestan and sophomore Njal Stene (Oslo, Norway), each picked up 8-2 wins at #2 and #3 doubles, respectively, to put the Hatters ahead 1-0 in the match. Three straight set wins at the bottom of the singles lineup quickly clinched the affair for Stetson. Gallo beat Parul Verma 6-2, 6-1 at #4 singles, junior Alex Hackett (Surrey, England) stopped Emilio Piriz 6-2, 6-1 at #5 and Stene won 6-1, 6-4 at #6 against Carles Pons.
Mestan rallied from a set down for a 6-7, 6-0, 1-0 (4) win over Niklas Schroeder at the top of the lineup. Mestan and Gallo are each 9-1 on the season in doubles matches while Gallo is 9-1 and Mestan 9-2 in singles.
Stetson is back in action tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center against 71st-ranked UNC Wilmington. Live Stats are available at www.GoHatters.com.
