WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Not even a cold, damp day in the Port City could keep UNCW's red-hot men's tennis team from winning its seventh consecutive match and 13^th in its last 14 tries. But it wasn't easy.
 
The Seahawks, now 13-2 this spring, stormed back from a 3-0 deficit to stun visiting East Tennessee State, 4-3, in a non-conference match early Sunday at the UNCW Tennis Courts. ETSU owns an 8-6 ledger.
  Coach Mait DuBois and his defending Colonial Athletic Association champions stayed perfect with an unblemished 10-0 recored on their home courts and improved to 4-1 in one-point matches this spring. UNCW's last loss came 22 days ago at Elon.
 
"I'm very proud of our team and how we competed today," said UNCW Head Coach Mait DuBois. "Today was a great team effort in some tough conditions. Our guys were willing to just keep working through the tough moments and that was the difference. ETSU is extremely talented and they've beaten us the last two years."
 
The Seahawks dropped the doubles point for the first time in nine appearances and had to win the final four matches off the court to pull out the victory. The team not only answered the bell, but won all four pairings in three sets for a clean 5-0 home stand.
 
With the score knotted at 3-all, the contest hinged on the No. 3 singles match between UNCW junior Agustin Savarino of Mar Del Plata, Argentina, and ETSU freshman Frazier Rengifo. After splitting the first two sets, Savarino dominated the deciding set, 6-2, setting off a victory celebration by his teammates.
 
"We got great performances from everyone today," DuBois continued. "The four guys who won their singles matches were so tough deep in their matches. Agustin is the heart of our team and he showed it to clinch the deciding match. He completed owned the big moment and played his most aggressive tennis to finish."
 
In addition to Savarino, Andres Torres, Michael Copeland and Michael Morphy posted critical singles wins. Copeland improved to 13-1 in singles with his 5-7, 7-1, 6-2 come-from-behind win over ETSU's David Gonzalez.
 
The Seahawks have five matches remaining in the regular season and open a four-match road swing on Friday, March 30, with a noon match at James Madison.
   
Singles
1. Andres Torres (UNCW) def. Juan Lugo (ETSU) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4
2. Sergi Fontcuberta (ETSU) def. Ignasi de Rueda (UNCW) 6-3, 6-4
3. Agustin Savarino (UNCW) def. Frazier Rengifo (ETSU) 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-2
4. Michael Copeland (UNCW) def. David Gonzalez (ETSU) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
5. Michael Morphy (UNCW) def. Miguel Este (ETSU) 3-6, 7-5, 6-1
6. Tasei Miyamoto (ETSU) def. Daniel Groom (UNCW) 6-3, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Juan Lugo/Tasei Miyamoto (ETSU) def. Ignasi de Rueda/Raphael Calzi (UNCW) 6-4
2. Robert Herrera/Sergi Fontcuberta (ETSU) def. Andres Torres/Michael Morphy (UNCW) 6-2
3. Agustin Savarino/Michael Copeland (UNCW) def. Frazier Rengifo/Miguel Este (ETSU) 6-4
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,6,1,4,5,3)