
No. 63 Flames Stay Unbeaten in the ASUN With 5-2 Triumph at Stetson
4/6/2023 8:30:51 PM | Men's Tennis
The No. 63-ranked Liberty Flames continued their perfect run through ASUN regular season competition with a 5-2 triumph over the Stetson Hatters, Thursday afternoon at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center.
The Flames have clinched a share of the ASUN regular season title with today's win.
Liberty sees its overall record move to 13-8 with an unblemished 7-0 ASUN mark. The Flames have one more conference regular season match with the potential to finish off their second unbeaten ASUN regular season in the last three years. The Flames’ seven ASUN victories are their most since joining the conference (five years). Liberty will face FGCU (11-8, 6-1 ASUN) on Saturday evening at 5 p.m. in what will be a rematch of last year’s ASUN Championship title match.
Stetson slips to 12-9 overall, 2-5 in the ASUN and 7-5 at home. The Flames are 3-1 all-time versus the Hatters, including a 3-0 mark in ASUN play.
Liberty has won seven straight matches and has not lost since March 12.
#63 Liberty 5, Stetson 2
Singles Competition
- Josh Wilson (LIBERTYM) def. Marc Saura (STET) 6-1, 6-4
- R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) def. E. Haris Eminefendic (STET) 7-5, 6-1
- Lucas Olivier (STET) def. Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) 6-4, 7-6
- Deji Thomas-Smith (LIBERTYM) def. Juan Jose Rodriguez (STET) 6-2, 6-4
- Sami Ozzor (STET) def. Beau Pelletier (LIBERTYM) 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8)
- Luis Felipe Miguel (LIBERTYM) def. Sven Thiergard (STET) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1
Doubles Competition
- Lucas Olivier/Marc Saura (STET) def. Josh Wilson/Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) 6-3
- Deji Thomas-Smith/Luis Felipe Miguel (LIBERTYM) def. E. Haris Eminefendic/Juan Jose Rodriguez (STET) 6-4
- Beau Pelletier/R. Marques Da Silva (LIBERTYM) def. Alexandre Hillhouse/Sven Thiergard (STET) 6-3
Liberty 13-8, 7-0 ASUN; National ranking #63
Stetson 12-9, 2-5 ASUN
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (4,1,2,6,5,3)
How It Happened
• Liberty’s No. 2 and 3 doubles units proved to be the difference in delivering the first point of the day and a 1-0 lead for the guests. The Flames’ No. 2 duo of Deji Thomas-Smith and Luis Felipe Miguel continued their strong spring campaign with a 6-4 triumph against Ervin Harris Eminefendic and Juan Jose Rodriguez. Thomas-Smith and Miguel have a team-best 12 doubles wins this spring and are 9-1 over the last 10 matches.
• After falling at No. 1 doubles, Liberty’s No. 3 unit of Beau Pelletier and Rafael Marques Da Silva clinched the first point of the contest with their 6-3 against counterparts Alexandre Hillhouse/Sven Thiergard.
• The Flames won four of the six singles matches, including the first four to conclude. Liberty’s Thomas-Smith downed Rodriguez 6-2, 6-4 on court four for a 2-0 advantage for the guests. The Flames junior has won seven straight singles matches.
• At No. 1 singles, Liberty senior Josh Wilson picked up his 10th win of the spring and 91st of his career. The Reigate, United Kingdom native took down Marc Saura 6-1, 6-4.
• Leading 3-0, it was Marques Da Silva who officially clinched the match victory for the Flames one court over from Wilson on court two. Last week’s ASUN Player of the Week, Marques Da Silva scored a 7-5, 6-1 win against Haris Eminefendic.
• Liberty’s fifth and final point of the afternoon came courtesy of standout freshman Miguel. The rookie defeated Thiergard in a back-and-forth three-set match, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1. Miguel leads the Flames with a 14-5 singles mark, has won seven straight singles contests and has five three-set victories in his only semester with the squad.
• The Hatters wrapped up the day with a pair of narrow victories. Sami Ozzor (No. 5 singles) snuck past Beau Pelletier in a close match, 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8), snapping Pelletier’s seven-match winning streak. Lucas Olivier knocked off Christiaan Worst of Liberty 6-4, 7-6 on court three, putting a halt to Worst’s five-match winning streak.
• The Flames’ seven conference victories this spring are their most in any season in school history.
• Liberty improves to 25-3 all-time in ASUN regular season competition.
Next Up
• Liberty will play its regular season finale on Saturday evening at FGCU (11-8, 6-1 ASUN). Match time is 5 p.m. at the FGCU Tennis Complex in Fort Myers, Fla.
• The Flames are 2-3 all-time versus the Eagles, but both of those victories have been in ASUN Men’s Tennis Championship title matches (2021, 2022). Liberty bested FGCU 4-2 in last year’s ASUN final to secure its second straight ASUN crown.
Main Photo at Top of Story: Luis Felipe Miguel