BRUNSWICK, Ga.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team saw their season come to an end Wednesday afternoon, falling 4-3 in the Sun Conference Tournament quarterfinals to the nationally-ranked Mariners of the College of Coastal Georgia. Ave Maria, who won the regular season meeting between the two schools, won three of six matches in singles play, but a loss in doubles action proved to be the difference as the host Mariners moved to Friday's semifinal round.
The Gyrenes won one of the three doubles matches, thanks to a victory from Gaston Erhardt and Anderson Duggan. Ave Maria's top team picked up a 6-3 win at the top flight, which was the second match to finish in doubles play. However, Coastal Georgia won the other two matches, winning 6-3 at the third flight and 6-2 at the second flight. The match at the second flight proved to be the clincher, as Coastal moved into singles play with a 1-0 lead.
Coastal Georgia quickly extended their lead to 3-0, winning in straight sets at the fifth and sixth singles flights. Ave Maria countered with wins at the first and fourth flights, with Erhardt finishing off an undefeated day with a 6-1, 6-3 victory and Pedro Garcia winning his match via retirement after the first two sets had been split at the fourth flight.
Ave Maria needed to sweep the two matches that went to a third set, but were able to get just one. Tom Alias held up his end of the deal, holding on for a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory at the second flight. Unfortunately for Ave Maria, Coastal Georgia's Adrien Guye mounted a comeback at the third flight, winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 to send the Mariners to the SUN's final four on their home courts.
Prior to the start of tournament play, the Sun Conference unveiled its All-Conference teams, with Gaston Erhardt serving as Ave Maria's representative. The Second Team All-SUN selection, who also earned the same honor last season, was the only Gyrene, male or female, to win ten singles matches, going 10-4 on the season. He was also AMU's winningest doubles play, ending the season with an 8-6 record in tandem play.
