Match Results

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Norfolk State men's tennis team almost came away with the win, but Hampton had just enough as the Pirates defeated the Spartans, 4-3, Friday afternoon at the Centre Court Tennis Club.

NSU won two of the three doubles matches and also secured victories at No. 2 and No. 6 singles, but Hampton won the other four singles matches, including a third-set tiebreaker at the No. 1 slot. NSU saw its record drop to 1-4 on the season, while Hampton improved to 1-1.

Junior Ben Marks earned a pair of victories on the day, including at No. 1 doubles with junior Arsenio Culver. Marks and Culver defeated Gellert Varga and Jung-Ho O, 8-4. Junior Christian Romanzini and freshman Kent Austin posted an 8-6 win at No. 3 doubles against Kenneth Green and Marcelo Reda to help give NSU the early lead.

Junior Jonathan Sessom and freshman Brian Bullock had a 7-6 lead in their second doubles match over Alvin Fludd and Edson Alves before it was called due to NSU's wins in the other two matches.

With that early 1-0 advantage following doubles play, NSU looked to keep the momentum going in singles. Marks had the easiest win out of anyone, knocking off Green, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 2 singles. Sessom also earned a straight-set victory, 6-2, 6-0, at the sixth position over Reda.

The Spartans nearly had the victory over the Pirates in hand after Culver rebounded from a 6-3 loss in the first set by downing Varga in the second set, 6-3, at No. 1 singles. Varga, though, won a hard-fought third-set tiebreaker, 12-10, to prevent the NSU win.

Austin gave Alves all he could handle at No. 5, but Alves won in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5. In the other contests, O defeated Romanzini at No. 3 singles, 6-2, 6-4, while Fludd pulled out a 6-1, 6-2, win over Bullock at No. 4.

NSU will host East Carolina Feb. 12 in the last match prior to the MEAC round-robin tournament. Action against ECU will get underway at 9 a.m. at Old Dominion's indoor tennis courts.