SILOAM SPRINGS -- After clinching the doubles point, the John Brown University men's tennis team used three consecutive singles wins at flights four through six to post a 4-3 win over Oklahoma Wesleyan on Wednesday (March 9) afternoon at the JBU Tennis Courts.
The Golden Eagles (7-4) improved to 5-6 in securing the doubles point, and it proved to be the difference as Oklahoma Wesleyan (2-5) took the final two matchups and won all three top singles flights.
Senior Logan Wheeler and junior Blake Cunningham teamed up for a 6-4 win at doubles two over Clement Martin and Logan Reece, ending doubles play and handing the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead. Junior Carson Thoma and sophomore Isaac Jordan used a 6-0 win over Adam Spencer and Brenner McDougal at the bottom flight that tied doubles play at one apiece.
After dropping the top singles slot the match was tied at one apiece. Then, John Brown rattled off three consecutive wins – two in third-set tiebreakers – to clinch the match.
"Any time your team can win at the four, five and six spots, you have a huge advantage," head coach Mike Campbell said. "I say it constantly to the team, but the doubles point is incredibly critical. Today proved that again, and it was a big win against a much-improved Oklahoma Wesleyan team."
This season at the 4-6 flights, the Golden Eagles own a 16-11 (.693) record against opponents.
Jordan (2-4) began the comeback bid at the five spot, holding Logan Reece back with 6-1, 2-6, 10-6 scores. Cunningham (8-2) boosted the Golden Eagle lead to 3-1 with another dramatic third-set win – dispatching Brenner McDougal 6-1, 4-6, 10-6, setting up Thoma (4-5) for the win. Down at two and three, John Brown needed Thoma to pull through at four, and he did – 6-3, 6-2 – over Adam Spencer to clinch the contest.
OKWU did win at the second and third singles flights, closing the gap to a 4-3 final score.
The Golden Eagles return to the JBU Tennis Courts next Thursday (March 17), when it welcomes Bethany (Kan.) for Senior Day. First serve is slated for 2 p.m.
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