GREENSBORO, N.C. – James Madison overcame multiple deficits, winning four singles courts to rally for a 4-3 men's tennis victory at UNCG on Friday at the Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center.
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The Dukes (5-3) won their fourth straight against the Spartans (2-6), moving to 6-2 all-time in the series. It was also the third straight season JMU has beaten UNCG by a 4-3 score.
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The Dukes won four of the final five singles courts, which included a three-set comeback victory for
Gur Libal and a court-six triumph by
Harrison Lee to clinch the road win. Also notching singles victories for JMU were
Ryan Morgan and
Zach Fleishman, who took their matches in straight sets.
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UNCG grabbed the early lead after claiming the doubles point in a tiebreak. Teams traded 6-4 decisions, with the Spartans taking court one before the court-three tandem of
Grant Kroodsma and Morgan downed Lars Frafjord and Tymofiy Khrystyuk.
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The hosts secured the 1-0 lead with a 7-6 (5) victory on court two, where William Elmers and Hector Nissen slipped past Lee and
Aurelien Schmitt.
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In singles play, UNCG made it a 2-0 match on court three when Devon Moskowitz earned a 6-2, 6-3 victory against
Francisco Sinopoli.
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JMU evened the match up at 2-2 with straight-set triumphs on courts two and four. Morgan rolled in his second set en route to a 7-5, 6-1 win against John Gabelic, before Fleishman fended off Nissen by scores of 6-4, 6-4.
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The Spartans recaptured the lead, at 3-2, as Khrystyuk rallied past Schmitt in three sets for a 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 win. The lead was short-lived, as Libal stormed back for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 triumph on court five against Elmers.
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With the match coming down to court six, Lee squeaked out the opening set before rolling in the second to upend Sammy Presser, 6-4, 6-1.
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JMU has a quick turnaround, as it faces Cambell in Buies Creek, N.C., on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 1 p.m.
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