NCWC Men Sweep Averett, Dominate Regional Poll

NCWC Men Sweep Averett, Dominate Regional Poll

Danville, Va. - The North Carolina Wesleyan men's tennis team has achieved another program first. In the latest ITA polls released on Friday, the 16th-ranked Bishops boast both the top-ranked singles player in the Atlantic South region (Robert Kjellberg), as well as the top-ranked regional doubles tandem (Kjellberg/Artsiom Prostak). It marks the first time in Wesleyan history that the Bishops have occupied both top spots, and they celebrated by posting a 9-0 sweep of USA South foe Averett on Saturday.

Kjellberg has simply dominated thusfar this season and has already set a new program record for singles wins in a season with 23. He has teamed with Prostak for 15 doubles wins, which includes a runner-up finish at the Small College National Championships back in October.

Head Coach Worth Richardson gave the two a day off on Saturday. Freshmen Johan Ljungdahl and Marcus Pola teamed for an 8-1 win at #1 doubles and went on to secure straight-set wins at #1 and #4 singles, respectively, as neither player surrendered a game.

Like their teammates, the duo of Peter Hviid and Mikhail Konnov picked up an 8-0 victory at #2 doubles before posting straight-set wins at the #2 and #3 seeds in singles action. Additionally, Panayot Kusidi was a 6-0, 6-0 winner at #5 singles, while the Bishops wrapped up the sweep with points at #3 doubles and #6 singles by default.

Wesleyan has now won five straight matches, out-scoring opponents 45-0 during that span.