Agate

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s tennis team improved to 4-0 in Southern Conference play in impressive fashion on Sunday, March 17, after sweeping the Furman Paladins, 7-0, at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center.
 
“Since our match against USC Upstate, we’ve really begun to mature as a team and we’ve gotten better every day,” said Elon head coach Michael Leonard. “We’re beginning to learn how to handle adversity as a group. I like where we are and I like where we’re headed if we continue to work hard and keep focused from match to match.”
 
Elon (8-4, 4-0 SoCon) has won four straight matches with the win. Furman falls to 2-10 (0-2 SoCon) with the setback.
 
“We started off a little slow, but once we won the doubles point it gave us a lot of energy,” said Elon sophomore Stefan Fortmann. “Winning doubles really helped set the tone for singles where we took care of business from start to finish.”
 
Elon took a 1-0 lead after winning the doubles point. After a win by Juan Madrid and Jordan Kaufman at No. 3, Cameron Silverman and Fortmann, ranked 38th in the nation as a team, battled Furman’s Andrew Mellow and Joel Cook to an 8-6 victory. Silverman and Fortmann improve to 7-3 with the win.
 
Fortmann pushed the Phoenix out to a 2-0 lead in singles play, as the sophomore defeated Furman’s Christ, 6-0, 6-2, at the No. 2 spot. Fortmann has won seven straight matches and improves to 9-2 on the year.
 
Madrid put Elon within a point of clinch the match at No. 6 singles after defeating Furman’s Robbie Aru, 6-1, 6-2, to give Elon a 3-0 edge.
 
Robert Lindgren clinched the match point for the Phoenix at No. 3 singles after the rookie landed a 7-5, 6-1, decision against Furman’s Cook to put the maroon and gold ahead, 4-0. Lindgren improves to 7-5 on the year with the victory.
 
Shortly thereafter, Kaufman put Elon ahead, 5-0, after a 6-2, 6-4, win against Jacob Behal at No. 4 singles. Kaufman improves to 6-4 with the win.
 
Silverman, ranked 38th in the nation in singles, gave the Phoenix a 6-0 lead after battling Mellow to a 6-4, 6-3, victory at the No. 1 position. Silverman has won four straight and improves to 8-4 on the year with the win.
 
Brian Kowalski went three sets with Furman’s Matt Browne, but came out with a 10-7 win in a super tiebreaker in the third to help Elon record the sweep against Furman.
 
Elon returns to action on Wednesday, March 20, for a non-conference home match against Dartmouth at 3 p.m.