ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- No. 2-ranked Flagler won its sixth consecutive dual match and improved to 10-2 this season with a 4-0 win over No. 20-ranked Midwestern State at Pollard Tennis Center on Friday afternoon.
The Mustangs lost all three dual matches on the Spring Break trip to Florida and return home with a 4-7 overall record.
The Saints were led by Baptiste Mercier, who transferred to the Peach Belt Conference school from Cameron. Mercier was 16-2 and an All-LSC performer last season. The junior from France is currently ranked No. 2 among NCAA Division II singles players.
Mercier played alongside Illian Borlee at No. 2 doubles and clinched the first point of the day for Flagler with a 6-3 victory over
Killian Guillou and
Germano Setti, who fell to 4-6 on the season for the Mustangs. The Saints tandem is No. 21 in the ITA doubles rankings.
Max Berner and Jacopo Denitto of Flagler won No. 3 doubles over
Bruno Sanchez and
Justin Van Amerongen, 6-2. The MSU duo won its first three doubles matches but has suffered back-to-back losses after starting the road trip with a 6-1 victory at Embry-Riddle.
Mercier was the first singles player off the court for the Saints with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Setti at the No. 2 spot. Mercier has won four consecutive matches in straight sets and improved to 7-2 in dual matches. Setti fell to 1-2 at No. 2 singles and is 3-8 this season with eight appearances at No. 1 singles for the Mustangs
Denitto is ranked No. 8 in singles and improved to 8-4 for Flagler with a 6-4, 6-4 win over
Luis Diaz Argente at No. 1 singles. Diaz has lost his last three singles matches in the No. 1 position and is 3-5 for MSU this season.
Philip Lemken, who is No. 57 in the ITA singles rankings, clinched the match for the Saints with a 6-4, 6-4 win over freshman
Bruno Sanchez at No. 5 singles. Sanchez, a freshman from Spain, won his only previous appearance at the No. 5 spot, prevailing at Rollins on Wednesday, 6-0, 1-6, 6-2.
Midwestern State looks to end its six-dual losing streak on Monday against Hawaii-Pacific. The Stangs tangle with the Sharks in Midlothian, Texas. First serve at the Frank Seale Tennis Courts is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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--MSUMustangs.com--
