The Oglethorpe men's tennis team performed well on the Downing Howell Courts Tuesday afternoon, picking up an 8-1 victory over in-state rival Piedmont to go to 7-6 on the season.

The afternoon started with a solid performance in the doubles competition. Junior C.J. Antonio and senior Ben Hirsch made quick work of their doubles match, winning 8-3 at No. 1. The Stormy Petrels then took a 2-0 lead when junior Briton Richardson and senior Craig Borne won the No. 2 match 8-4. The Petrels did slip up with the No. 3 match, falling in that contest 8-4, but they had a 2-1 lead going into the singles competition.

Hirsch broke out of a mini-slump to in a big way, defeating his opponent 6-3, 6-0 at the No. 3 spot, giving the team a 3-1 lead. Antonio continued his dominant form of late at No. 1, blitzing his opponent 6-4, 6-0 to bring the team to within a single match of winning the day. That came a short time later, when Motz took down his opponent in straight sets at No. 4, 6-0, 6-2. As the dual match continued, Richardson put away his opponent in short order, 6-2, 6-1, while senior Kirk Zhao won a three-set tilt for the team's seventh win of the afternoon, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. Borne completed the afternoon by winning a super-tiebreak to take his three-set match, 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8). 

"It was great to break up the tension of the conference matches with this solid 8-1 win against Piedmont," said Head Coach Peter Howell. "Kirk Zhao and Ben Hirsch both gained needed confidence with their wins today. We now have to get ready for a tough conference weekend with Rhodes and Hendrix."

The Petrels will travel to Memphis, Tenn., on Friday to take on Rhodes at 10 a.m. Eastern before continuing to Conway, Ark., on Saturday to go against Hendrix at 10 a.m. on that day, as well.