Agate

BOONE, N.C. – The Elon University men’s tennis team clinched at least a share of the Southern Conference regular season title with a 6-1 victory at Appalachian State at the ASU Tennis Courts today, April 10.
 
Elon improves to 8-2 in league play with the win and clinches at least a share of the title, as UNCG (7-2 Southern Conference) has one league match remaining and Samford (6-2 Southern Conference) has two conference matches left.
 
“I’m so happy for our team today,” said Elon head coach Michael Leonard. “We’ve been battling health issues the last five days and I’m proud of the way our guys bounced back. It was great to see Carlos Arboleda clinch the match for us with his win. We’re looking forward to having a week to get healthy and back to full strength for the SoCon Championship on our home courts next week.”
 
Elon swept doubles to take an early 1-0 advantage on the Mountaineers. The 43rd-ranked tandem of Cameron Silverman and Stefan Fortmann registered an 8-2 win at No. 1 over Sebastien King and Zach Bost. Robert Lindgren and Brian Kowalski claimed an 8-2 win at No. 2 over Jen-Willem Kleynhans and Andrew McKinnon, while Juan Madrid and Jordan Kaufman recorded an 8-3 win at No. 3 versus Steve Lake and Steve Karendal.
 
Fortmann, playing at the No. 1 spot today for 56th-ranked Silverman, was the first to finish and extended Elon’s lead to 2-0. Fortmann topped ASU’s King in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.
 
Kaufman was the next to finish for Elon, topping Bost at No. 3, 6-1, 7-5, to push the Phoenix out to a 3-0 lead.
 
Arboleda clinched the match and at least a share of the league’s regular season title for the maroon and gold at No. 6, as the senior topped Appalachian State’s Lake in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.
 
Madrid battled Matt Saltsgaver to victory at No. 4, winning in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 10-3. Kowalski was also victorious in three sets, winning 6-4, 2-6, 7-1, against McKinnon at No. 4.
 
The Phoenix now prepares to host the 2013 Southern Conference Championships, April 18-21. Elon will wait for the conclusion of the regular season to learn its opponent, as the team has clinched at least a top-three seed.