Eagles Fall To D1 NC A&T
ORLANDO, FL – The Judson University men's tennis team continued their spring break campaign at the USTA National Campus, delivering a powerful opening statement before ultimately falling 6–1 to Division I opponent North Carolina A&T. Despite the final score line, the Eagles showcased their competitive grit by winning the doubles point away from the Division I program in the early stages of the match.
Judson came out firing in the opening frame, taking the fight to North Carolina A&T to secure the match's first point. The Eagles found success on the back courts to seal the advantage through two high-intensity matches. At the number 2 doubles spot, Joshua Bavich and Brock Dawson displayed nerves of steel, battling through a grueling set to earn a 7–6 victory.
Meanwhile, at the number 3 position, Julius Fortun and Cesar Otondo provided the clinching momentum with a clinical 6–4 win to put Judson on the board first.
Transitioning into singles play, the Eagles faced a stiff challenge from a deep North Carolina A&T lineup. While the opposition eventually swept the singles matches, Judson refused to go down easily, pushing several courts to the limit.
Nicolas Donoso provided one of the most competitive looks of the afternoon at the number 3 spot, going toe-to-toe with his opponent in both sets and consistently finding ways to extend rallies before falling in a narrow 4–6, 4–6 decision.
The resilience continued down the lineup as Cesar Otondo Villafan fought through a tough match at the number 4 position, eventually falling 2–6, 2–6.
At number 5 singles, Niel Hentrich shook off a slow start to mount a serious challenge in the second set, finishing with a hard-fought 1–6, 4–6 score line.
Across the remaining courts, the Eagles matched their opponents' intensity and forced them to earn every point in a series of hard-fought battles. While the overall match result went to North Carolina A&T, the team's ability to compete at a high level against Division I talent was evident throughout the day. The Eagles are proud of their fight.
