RADFORD TOPS WINTHROP WITH COMEBACK VICTORY IN ROCK HILL

Wednesday, March 27

Rock Hill, S.C.

2 p.m.

Radford University

Winthrop

RADFORD TOPS WINTHROP WITH COMEBACK VICTORY IN ROCK HILL

3/27/2019 6:49:00 PM | Men's Tennis

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RADFORD, Va. – It was a birthday to remember for Matko Varga as he helped give Radford a 4-3 victory over Winthrop on Wednesday afternoon in Rock Hill, S.C.

It was another nail-biting scene for the Highlanders (12-3, 3-1 Big South) once again as it came down to the final singles match. With both teams at three wins apiece Varga on court 5 remained unfinished. He lost the first set, but battled back to win the second set, 6-4. With every other match completed it all came down to the third set. Aditya Gokhale was no competition in the final set for the now 21-year-old. Varga won it 6-1 and gave Radford its first victory over the Eagles since 2013.

The match began with Winthrop grabbing a 1-0 lead right off first serve with the doubles point. The lead was extended to 2-0 when Yevhen Sirous dropped his match on court 1, 6-2 and 6-0.

That's when the Highlanders bounced back with three straight victories from Michiel Meekers on court 4, Andres Silva on court 6 and Rodrigo Magalhaes on court 2. The trio of wins gave Radford a 3-2 lead only needing one point to clinch.

Gabriel Dias for the Eagles stepped up and tied it up with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Alexandros Caldwell on court 3. Then Varga came up clutch with a big-time birthday gift to himself earning his 11^th singles victory of the season.

POST OF THE DAY

View this post on Instagram

Wait for it...Matko Varga clinches the match over Winthrop on his 21st birthday!! That's how we know it's been a great birthday! #RiseAndDefend | #BigSouthMTEN

A post shared by Radford Men's Tennis (@radfordmtennis) on Mar 27, 2019 at 2:32pm PDT

UP NEXT
Radford returns home with back-to-back conference matches on Friday and Sunday. Friday's match will see the Highlanders take on Gardner-Webb at 3 p.m., before Big South newcomer, USC Upstate comes to the NRV at noon on Sunday.

SINGLES COMPETITION

1. QUIROZ, Diego (WIN) def. Yevhen Sirous (RAD) 6-2, 6-0

2. Rodrigo Magalhaes (RAD) def. WILLIAMSON, Connor (WIN) 6-2, 6-4

3. DIAS, Gabriel (WIN) def. Alexandros Caldwell (RAD) 6-4, 6-3

4. Michiel Meekers (RAD) def. TINAGLI, Alberto (WIN) 6-3, 6-2

5. Matko Varga (RAD) def. GOKHALE, Aditya (WIN) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

6. Andres Silva (RAD) def. MIRALLES, Lluis (WIN) 6-3, 6-4

Order of finish: (1,4,6,2,3,5)

DOUBLES COMPETITION

1. GOKHALE, Aditya/DIAS, Gabriel (WIN) def. Yevhen Sirous/Rodrigo Magalhaes (RAD) 6-3

2. TINAGLI, Alberto/QUIROZ, Diego (WIN) vs. Alexandros Caldwell/Michiel Meekers (RAD) 5-4, unfinished

3. WILLIAMSON, Connor/MIRALLES, Lluis (WIN) def. Matko Varga/Andres Silva (RAD) 6-0

Order of finish: (3,1)

MATCH NOTES

Radford 12-3, 3-1

Winthrop 7-9, 2-3

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