ABILENE, Texas - Seeing three of the six singles matches go to third-set tiebreakers, the LeTourneau University men's tennis team would use a come-from-behind three set victory from
Jeffrey Golladay at number six singles to earn a 5-4 road victory over McMurry University at the Abilene Country Club in Abilene, Texas on Saturday, March 2nd.
LETU improved to 4-2 overall with the victory while the War Hawks fell to 1-6 overall following their only match of the weekend.
Picking up wins from
Jimmie Henson and
Christian Farris at number one doubles (8-4) as well as
Zac Crowley-Kurth and
James Estrada (8-3), the YellowJackets would grab an early 2-0 lead over MCM to gain momentum in hopes of a doubles sweep. The War Hawks would manage to avoid an 3-0 hole going to singles play as
Nathan Schmidt and
Bobby Clark would fall by a score of 8-5 at number two doubles to make the score 2-1 with six singles matches remaining.
Big battles at the top of the lineup would set the tone for the rest of the match as Henson would be outlasted 7-5, 3-6, 10-5 at number one singles while Farris would fall 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) at number two singles to allow McMurry to take their first lead of the day at 3-2. Schmidt would tie things back up for the YellowJackets at number three singles with a 6-2, 6-2 victory before seeing Crowley-Kurth fall in a heartbreaking 4-6, 6-4, 10-6 defeat at number four singles.
With the final two matches set to determine the outcome of the match, Clark would take care of business at number five singles with a 6-3, 6-1 win to set up a winner-take-all number six singles match. In the match, Golladay would drop the first set 6-4 but manage to bounce back with a 6-1 set two victory to set up the super tiebreaker that would clinch the match for LETU or MCM. Things would be even closer in the super tiebreak as extra points would be needed with Golladay taking an 11-9 victory to give the YellowJackets the thrilling victory.
What's Next?
After seeing their originally scheduled match with Dallas Baptist University postponed, LeTourneau will get their chance to square off with the Patriots on Wednesday, March 6th at 3 p.m. The match will take place at the Davis Tennis Courts on the campus of LeTourneau University, and will be the makeup of a February 22nd postponement.
