FARMVILLE, Va. – A strong start in doubles play led to a singles sweep that propelled Longwood to a one-sided 7-0 win over visiting Division III powerhouse Mary Washington Saturday afternoon at the New Lancer Courts.
Taking on their Commonwealth neighbor for the first time on their newly unveiled home facility, the Lancers (5-6) welcomed the Eagles to Farmville by taking two of three doubles bouts and bid them farewell with straight-set wins at five of six singles spots.
Leading that charge at the top of Longwood's lineup was senior
Rosen Naydenov, who in his first-ever match atop Longwood's singles rotation grinded out a 7-6, 6-4 win over Mary Washington ace Moses Hutchison. Following him in the No. 2 spot was sophomore
Ignacio Sandoval, who continued the rout with a 6-2, 7-6 win over counterpart Andrew Watson.
Guilherme Sergio won at No. 3, 6-4, 6-2, while
Guillermo Cagigas and
Ernest Rocabert also cruised to straight-set wins at Nos. 5 and 6. Cagigas' 6-1, 6-2 victory over Artis Hart was Longwood's most lopsided win of the day, while Rocabert also dispatched Peter Leese at No. 6 with little issue, 6-1, 6-4.
Mary Washington No. 4 Cole Tecce managed to take Lancer
Marc Casasnovas to three sets after mounting a 6-3 comeback in set two, but the Lancer senior bounced back for a gut-check win in a marathon final set that secured a 6-3, 3-6, 14-12 win.
The 7-0 sweep improves the Lancers to 5-2 on their new home courts, which opened just prior to the start of the 2021 spring season. The Lancers will have a chance to improve on that record against Sunday when Bluefield State comes to town for a 2 p.m. first serve.
Longwood 7, Mary Washington 0
March 27, 2021
Farmville, Va. (New Lancer Courts)
Singles
1. NAYDENOV, Rosen (LWU) def. HUTCHISON, Moses (MWU) 7-6, 6-4
2. SANDOVAL, Ignacio (LWU) def. WATSON, Andrew (MWU) 6-2, 7-6
3. SERGIO, Guilherme (LWU) def. CHARAN SHANKAR, Rish (MWU) 6-4, 6-2
4. CASASNOVAS, Marc (LWU) def. TECCE, Cole (MWU) 6-3, 3-6, 14-12
5. CAGIGAS, Guillermo (LWU) def. HART, Artis (MWU) 6-1, 6-2
6. ROCABERT, Ernest (LWU) def. LEESE, Peter (MWU) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles
1. HUTCHISON, Moses/WATSON, Andrew (MWU) def. NAYDENOV, Rosen/SANDOVAL, Ignacio (LWU) 8-7
2. ROCABERT, Ernest/SERGIO, Guilherme (LWU) def. DESILVA, Priyan/CHARAN SHANKAR, Rish (MWU) 8-5
3. CASASNOVAS, Marc/CAGIGAS, Guillermo (LWU) def. SPERA, Nick/TECCE, Cole (MWU) 8-3
Records
Mary Washington 1-4
Longwood 5-6
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