University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Elon
No. 73 Spartans Down Elon, 5-2
2/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 21, 2010
ELON, N.C. - A pair of three-set wins by sophomores Edgar Rodriguez and Ramiro Blanco helped lift the No. 73 USC Upstate men's tennis team to a 5-2 win over Elon on Sunday in non-conference action at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Complex. For Rodriguez, his doubles and singles wins helped him reach 50 career combined wins.
Upstate (3-4 overall) earned the split-decision doubles point, as seniors Renzo Airaldi and Javier Tori taking an 8-3 win over Chase Helpingstine and Alberto Rojas at No. 1 and Rodriguez and Blanco adding an 8-6 win over Phillip Nemec and Cody MacDowell at No. 2.
The Phoenix (0-8) tied the match with a win at No. 4, but senior Jack Roux posted a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 5 singles to give Upstate a 2-1 lead. Airaldi added a 7-6 (5), 6-2 lead over Nemec at No. 1 and Blanco, who lost in three sets against Troy on Saturday, came back to post a match-clinching 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 win over Carlos Arboleda at No. 6. After a loss at No. 2 singles, Rodriguez, who also fell in three sets on Saturday in the 4-3 loss, wrapped up the match with a 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 win over Eric Turner at No. 3.
The Spartans will host Wofford on Thursday at 3 p.m. at the USC Upstate Tennis Complex before they continue their A-Sun season when Mercer comes to Spartanburg for a 1 p.m. match Saturday.
Tennis Match Results #73 USC Upstate 5, Elon University 2 Singles competition 1. Renzo Airaldi (UPSTM) def. Philip Nemec (ELON) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 2. Chase Helpingstine (ELON) def. Javier Tori (UPSTM) 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 3. Edgar Rodriguez (UPSTM) def. Eric Turner (ELON) 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 4. Alberto Rojas (ELON) def. Gary Goudsmet (UPSTM) 6-0, 6-1 5. Jack Roux (UPSTM) def. Thomas Darling (ELON) 6-2, 6-4 6. Ramiro Blanco (UPSTM) def. Carlos Arboleda (ELON) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 Doubles competition 1. Renzo Airaldi/Javier Tori (UPSTM) def. Chase Helpingstine/ Alberto Rojas (ELON) 8-3 2. Ramiro Blanco/Edgar Rodriguez (UPSTM) def. Philip Nemec/ Cody S-MacDowell (ELON) 8-6 3. Thomas Darling/Eric Turner (ELON) def. Gary Goudsmet/ Jack Roux (UPSTM) 9-7 Match Notes: USC Upstate 3-4; National ranking #73 Elon University 0-8 Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,5,1,6,2,3)
