LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Austin Dreslinski's thrilling, three-set victory in singles play clinched a pivotal USA South victory for the Covenant men's tennis team as the Scots downed Piedmont, 6-3, on Friday evening at the Covenant Tennis Complex.
Covenant (7-3, 3-0 USA South) has won five straight matches and is in sole possession of first place in the USA South West Division.
In a match full of tight battles, it was Dreslinski's bout at No. 2 singles with Piedmont's Bryce VanOrder that sealed the win for Covenant. With the Scots ahead 4-0 in the match, Dreslinski and VanOrder went back-and-forth and into a third set.
Dreslinski rallied from a deficit in the decisive set to tie the score and force a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, it was all Dreslinski as the freshman took an early lead and never looked back to claim a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(2) win after over two hours of play. The win was also Dreslinski's team-leading eighth singles victory of the year.
That win clinched the match for the Scots, who eked out three close wins in doubles play to open the match.
Dreslinski and Solomon Crouch defended the top doubles spot with an 8-6 win over VanOrder and Roman Webb. At No. 2, Paxton Haggerty and Ben Luke overcame Piedmont's Houston Medlock and Chase Morris in a tiebreak 8-7(6). Ethan Gibson and Gill Dunn finished off the doubles sweep with a comeback win at No. 3 over Chris Bale and Patrick Dempsey, 8-5.
Luke put the Scots one step away from clinching the match with his 6-2, 6-2 win over Medlock at the top singles flight. Luke has won five straight in singles play and moved to 7-2 at the top flight this season.
Crouch also earned a singles victory, his fifth in a row, as he took down Morris 6-1, 6-2 at the No. 4 spot.
Piedmont (4-9, 2-1 USA South) took points at Nos. 3,4, and 6 in singles play.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE MATCH
UP NEXT
Covenant travels to Johnson on Monday for a non-conference match. First serve is set for 3:30 p.m.
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