DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University men's tennis team fell to No.8 Duke University in a 7-0 match on Sunday evening. The Eagles made the short trip to Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center for their third match of the season.
NC Central (0-3) dropped two doubles matches 6-1 to start the evening. Senior Shaka Cristellotti and sophomore Naresh Bharathy's match concluded first followed by junior Oliver Saarinen and freshman Leo Fortier-Gariepy.
Junior Hugo Hidalgo Vega and sophomore Kareem Abdul Hakim's match against the No.14 doubles team in the nation Andrew Zhang and Michael Heller went unfinished with Duke leading 4-3.
More nationally ranked competition from Duke (3-0) came in singles. Hidalgo Vega dropped his match 6-1, 6-2 to No.21 Pedro Rodenas. Bharathy finished with the same score against Heller.
Saarinen and Abdul Hakim pushed their opponents but would eventually fall 6-3, 6-2 and 6-3, 6-3, respectively. Fortier-Gariepy had a 6-0, 6-2 defeat and redshirt freshman Lucas Artigas dropped 6-0 in two straight sets.
NCCU takes the court for another road match at Campbell University on Feb. 9 at 2 p.m.
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#8 Duke 7, N.C. Central 0
Singles competition
1. #21 Rodenas, Pedro (DU) def. HIDALGO,Hugo (NCCU-MT) 6-1, 6-2
2. Krug, Connor (DU) def. ABDUL HAKIM,Kareem (NCCU-MT) 6-3, 6-3
3. Krug, Jake (DU) def. FORTIER,Leo (NCCU-MT) 6-0, 6-2
4. Heller, Michael (DU) def. BHARATHY,Naresh (NCCU-MT) 6-1, 6-2
5. Khan, Faris (DU) def. SAARINEN,Oliver (NCCU-MT) 6-3, 6-2
6. Truwit, Teddy (DU) def. ARTIGAS,Lucas (NCCU-MT) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Heller, Michael/Zhang, Andrew (DU) vs. HIDALGO,Hugo/ABDUL HAKIM,Kareem (NCCU-MT) 4-3, unfinished
2. Johns, Garrett/Krug, Jake (DU) def. SAARINEN,Oliver/FORTIER,Leo (NCCU-MT) 6-1
3. Truwit, Teddy/Visser, Alexander (DU) def. BHARATHY,Naresh/CRISTELLOTTI,Shaka (NCCU-MT) 6-1
Match Notes:
N.C. Central 0-3
Duke 3-0; National ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,1,4,3,2,5)