The fifth-seeded Oglethorpe men's tennis team found themselves locked in a tight match with fourth-seeded Rhodes Friday afternoon in the first round of the SAA Tournament at the Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, which came down to the final match. The Lynx prevailed in the end, though, bringing the Stormy Petrels' season to a crushing 5-4 end.
The Petrels swung ahead after doubles, but the Lynx responded with three straight singles wins to pull ahead 4-2, forcing Oglethorpe to win out if they were going to take the dual match. All three remaining matches were in the third set, with junior Richard Johnson at No. 3, sophomore Dustin Bowie at No. 2, and freshman Walker Benson at No. 4. Bowie won his first set 6-1, but his opponent came back to take the second set, 6-2, and force the third. Johnson and Benson both dropped their first sets, as did every Petrel other than Bowie, making things look gloomy for Oglethorpe. However, both of them came back in the second set, Johnson winning 6-4 and Benson 6-1, setting the Petrels up with a chance.
Benson and Johnson both won their third sets relatively easily, 6-3 and 6-1, respectively, tying the dual match at 4-4 and putting it all on the No. 2 match. Bowie found himself down 3-2 early in the set, but he came back to take a 5-4 lead and had the chance to serve for the dual match. Rhodes' P.J. Shaw was able to break Bowie's serve, though, and keep the match going. He wound up breaking Bowie against to take the third set, 7-5, and the dual match with it.
The Petrels gave themselves a chance by taking two of the three doubles contests. They fell in the No. 2 match, but responded with an 8-5 victory from Johnson and Benson at No. 3, then won a barnburner at No. 1, with Bowie and senior Judd Motz. The two sides traded service breaks early in the match and Rhodes found themselves ahead 4-3. However, Motz and Bowie broke back to take a 5-4 lead. The match went to a tiebreaker, where the Petrels prevailed 7-2 to take a 2-1 lead.
Junior Michael Santaloci played his opponent tight at No. 6 through the first set, falling 9-7 in a tiebreaker. His opponent took the final frame, though. Motz played well in his final collegiate tennis match. He was involved in the big victory at No. 1 doubles, and hung tough against a regionally-ranked opponent at No. 1 singles, falling 6-2, 6-3.
"This was another typically great SAA match," said Oglethorpe head coach Peter Howell. "It seems every match on the men's side has gone 5-4 one way or the other. We fought hard and almost pulled off the upset. I was very proud of how this team has come back in match after match. We are going to miss Judd Motz, who has meant a lot to the program."
