FAIRFAX, Va. – Sparked by two wins in doubles play, George Mason edged the Longwood men's tennis team 4-3 Saturday afternoon to cool off a Lancer squad that had won three straight heading into Saturday's action.

Jakob Nielsen sealed the match with a 6-3, 6-4 straight-set win at court three over Julian Farthing, who had won his past five matches, putting the Patriots ahead 4-1 before Florian Uffer and Arthur Bardellotto took wins over their counterparts for the 4-3 final.

"George Mason played with more heart than we did and deserved to win today," said second-year head coach Pierre Tafelski, who has the Lancers on the cusp of their first double digit win season since the 2010-11 season. "We have been taking things for granted and that's what happens when we do."

George Mason (7-6) took the doubles point with wins at courts two and three by 6-3, 6-4 scores, as Amadeo Blasco and Uffer took court one to keep Longwood (9-3) out of a sweep.

Blasco, who is off to an 11-1 start to his career, took straight 6-2 wins in his return to court two after a dominant win at three against Morgan State.

George Mason was quick to respond to Blasco's tying point, winning the next three courts for the 4-1 lead and hand Longwood their first loss to a team from the Commonwealth in the spring 2017 campaign.

"[The loss] is a wakeup call for our team and we need to make adjustments quickly," Tafelski said.

The Patriots' trio of Daniel Gutierrez, Andrew Curtis and Nielsen took straight-set matches over Longwood's Noah Petralia, Jorge Gomis and Farthing to seal their second win in as many seasons against the blue and white.

Senior captain Florian Uffer took a hard-fought sweep at court one to clinch his second win over the past three tries, while freshman Arthur Bardellotto kept a hot racquet with his fourth-consecutive victory at court four.

Longwood's match Sunday against Radford has been postponed due to predicted weather conditions. No makeup date has been determined for the Lancers and Highlanders.

George Mason 4, Longwood 3
March 25, 2017 at Fairfax, Va.
 
Singles competition
1. UFFER, Florian (LWUM) def. LANGE, James (MASON) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
2. BLASCO, Amadeo (LWUM) def. RAY, Pally (MASON) 6-2, 6-2
3. NIELSEN, Jakob (MASON) def. FARTHING, Julian (LWUM) 6-3, 6-4
4. BARDELLOTO, Arthur (LWUM) def. AYERS, Edward (MASON) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
5. GUTIERREZ, Daniel (MASON) def. PETRALIA, Noah (LWUM) 6-2, 6-3
6. CURTIS, Andrew (MASON) def. GOMIS, Jorge (LWUM) 6-2, 6-4
 
Doubles competition
1. BLASCO, Amadeo/UFFER, Florian (LWUM) def. GUTIERREZ, Daniel/RAY, Pally (MASON) 7-6 (8-6)
2. LANGE, James/NIELSEN, Jakob (MASON) def. BARDELLOTO, Arthur/FARTHING, Julian (LWUM) 6-3
3. CURTIS, Andrew/AYERS, Edward (MASON) def. GOMIS, Jorge/PETRALIA, Noah (LWUM) 6-4
 
Match Notes
Longwood 9-3
George Mason 7-6
 
Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 3, 1
Singles: 2, 5, 6, 3, 1, 4
 
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