Men's Tennis 2/15/2015 4:00:00 PM

STRONG SINGLES PLAY LIFTS MEN’S TENNIS TO 4-1 WIN OVER GEORGE MASON

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VCU RESULTS :: GEORGE MASON RESULTS

RICHMOND, Va. – The Radford men's tennis team bounced back from a 5-0 setback to nationally-ranked VCU late Sunday morning by defeating George Mason, 4-1, in the afternoon to salvage a split on its opening day of competition.

Both matches against the Atlantic 10 Conference foes followed a 4-1 format—four singles matches and one doubles match.

"I am proud of the way we responded in the afternoon against a well-coached and talented George Mason team," head coach Mike Anderson said. "The morning match against VCU was a hard-fought battle, despite the end result. I am pleased with the overall performance by our group today, especially considering four of our players were playing their first-ever collegiate dual match."

Michiel Meekers, who was one of those players competing in his first collegiate dual match, clinched the Highlanders' first win of the season with his 6-3, 7-5 triumph at No. 2 singles. The 6-foot-4 Belgian erased a 5-2 deficit in the second set by reeling off five straight games to secure the victory over Aaron Capitel of George Mason.

In addition to Meekers' triumph at No. 2, Radford also prevailed in the other three singles matches. Patrick O'Keefe and Janken Thoen earned straight-set victories, while Jose Moreno Manzano outlasted his opponent in three frames. It was Moreno Manzano's second three-setter of the day.

RU (1-1) is back on the court next Saturday, Feb. 21 in Richmond, Ky., for a 10 a.m. bout with Eastern Kentucky. The Highlanders last played EKU on March 3, 2013, prevailing (4-1) in a neutral-site match at Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center in Blacksburg, Va.

No. 59 VCU (5) def. Radford (0)
Thalhimer Tennis Center (Richmond, Va.)
Sunday, February 15, 2015

Doubles competition
1. Louis Ishizaka / Antonio Batlle Rodriguez (VCU) def. Samuel Taylor / Nikhil Mannepalli (RU), 6-0, 6-4

Order of finish: 1*

Singles competition
1. Michal Voscek (VCU) def. Patrick O'Keefe (RU), 6-4, 6-0
2. Catalin Fifea (VCU) def. Michiel Meekers (RU), 6-2, 7-6 (1)
3. Wilder Pimentel (VCU) def. Jose Moreno Manzano (RU), 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (7)
4. Jacob Svensson (VCU) def. Janken Thoen (RU), 6-4, 6-2

Order of finish: 1, 4*, 2, 3

Match Notes
Radford (0-1)
No. 59 VCU (9-3)

Radford (4) def. George Mason (1)
Thalhimer Tennis Center (Richmond, Va.)
Sunday, February 15, 2015

Doubles competition
1. Tanner Baine / Daniel Gutierrez (Mason) def. Samuel Taylor / Nikhil Mannepalli (RU), 6-4, 6-4

Order of finish: 1*

Singles competition
1. Patrick O'Keefe (RU) def. James Lange (Mason), 6-4, 6-3
2. Michiel Meekers (RU) def. Aaron Capitel (Mason), 6-3, 7-5
3. Jose Moreno Manzano (RU) def. Joe Hill (Mason), 6-7 (1), 7-6 (4), 1-0 (4)
4. Janken Thoen (RU) def. Conor Moran (Mason), 7-6, 6-4

Order of finish: 1, 4, 2*, 3

Match Notes
Radford (1-1)
George Mason (2-2)

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Players Mentioned

Patrick O'Keefe: 5' 11"; Senior

Samuel Taylor: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore

Janken Thoen: 6' 1"; Sophomore

Michiel Meekers: 6' 4"; Freshman

Jose Moreno Manzano: 6' 1"; Freshman

Nikhil Mannepalli: 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Patrick O'Keefe
: 5' 11"; Senior

Samuel Taylor
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore

Janken Thoen
: 6' 1"; Sophomore

Michiel Meekers
: 6' 4"; Freshman

Jose Moreno Manzano
: 6' 1"; Freshman

Nikhil Mannepalli
: 6' 0"; Freshman