by Danielle Kinnen | Jan 16, 2015 | Sports
The Christmas season is over, and now spring season sports are back in full swing at Lipscomb with competition already underway. To start off the season, track and field and men’s tennis will both be traveling to Vanderbilt over the weekend. Men’s tennis has added four new players to its roster, enabling them to participate in their main season with a full team. Coach Mario Hernandez is excited for the next few months and believes that the bright, new players will bring a fresh dimension to the team. “There are a lot of things we have to get used to, especially being such a young team,” Hernandez said. “From what I have seen at practices, the guys are pumped to play and I can see that they are hungry to start this season.” Freshman Philippe Courteau has his eyes set on a victory. “This is my first collegiate match and I am excited to compete with these guys as a new Bison,” Courteau said. “I have waited two years for this moment since I began looking to play for a University, and I am ready to get out there and hit balls against some of the top men in the country.” The match begins on Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. at Vanderbilt’s indoor courts. The Commodores are standing at no.19 in the country, with one of their players in the top 10 when the NCAA rankings were revealed at the beginning of January. The rankings have given the Bisons some momentum, and they are looking for an upset. “The boys are coming into this competition as the underdogs, we have respect for this...
by Martin Baker | Feb 17, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb’s men’s and women’s Tennis teams each had matches against Austin Peay this past Saturday. The men’s match was at the Richland Tennis Club, and the women’s match was at the Whitworth Racquet Club. The women faired better than the men by defeating Austin Peay 4-3. The men lost their match by a score of 6-1. The women lost 2 out of the 3 doubles matches that gave Austin Peay the doubles point. Lipscomb’s Melissa Kromer and Laura Kent won their doubles match against Austin Peay’s Vanessa Tavares and Isabela Jovanovic. The girls came back to make a statement in the singles matches winning 4 out of 6. Lipscomb’s No. 1 Deahna Welcher defeated Andra Cornea in a close match that ended 3-6, 6-2, (10-6). No. 2 Melissa Kromer, however, lost to Ornella Di Salvo in another close match that ended 2-6, 6-3, (8-10). Lipscomb’s No. 5 Lorena Djuknic had one of the most meaningful matches of the night because it was the match that decided who would take the ultimate victory. Djuknic defeated Hannah Tatlock after two sets with a final score of 6-4, 6-3. The men’s tennis team has faced a tough obstacle all season with only having five players instead of the usual six, therefore they have to give up a point in singles and doubles automatically in each match. “We had a tough loss to Austin Peay State. This match was good for us though to show where we are as a team,” coach Mario Hernandez said. “Ultimately it showed that we need to be tougher as a team.” No. 4 Miguel Cortez was the lone...
by Martin Baker | Feb 10, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb men’s tennis team defeated North Alabama in their match on Sat., Feb. 8 at the Richmond Tennis Club. This was the Bisons’ first win of the season, making their record 1-1. “We only had five players when we are supposed to have six, so we were in a bit of a hole to start the matches, but our guys were aware that that was going to be something we would have to deal with this week,” said head coach Mario Hernandez. “They handled it great and came out with good intensity and focus right from the start to prevent us from getting even into more of a hole.” Lipscomb’s David Salazar and Robert Mitchell took down Benjamin Poire and Max Druppel of North Alabama 6-4 in doubles. Also in doubles, Stuart Tierney and Miguel Cortez of Lipscomb won their match 6-5(3). “The guys played pretty loose and didn’t seem to get tight with some of the pressure we faced. I was happy to see that. You want your team to embrace the challenges and the pressure that is going to come with competition,” Hernandez said. In singles, every player was able to snag a victory. No. 1 Salazar beat Guillaume Dechoz 6-3, 6-5. No. 2 Tierney beat Poire 6-1, 6-3 and No. 4 Cortez beat Aliaksei Kavalenka 6-4, 6-3. No. 3 Mitchell beat Druppel 6-4 in the first set and then defeated him in the second set 6-0. No. 5 Nacor Ibanez beat North Alabama’s Ali Murad after a tough tiebreaker that ended 3-6, 6-1, (10-8) “This match is only the second one of our season,” Hernandez said. “We...
