From Staff Reports



TIFTON — Playing before a big home crowd, the Abraham Baldwin Stallions tennis team ended a six-match losing streak Sunday with a 6-3 win over its archrival, the Georgia Perimeter Jaguars. The ABAC victory avenged an earlier 6-3 loss to the Jaguars.

Perimeter was without Lucas Melero, the nation’s top-ranked singles player. The Jaguars also lost Simone Mboch to illness during his singles match against ABAC’s Emmanuel Nkoueleue.

“When we played them at their place, our Brazilians, Gabriel Veiga and Renato Oliveira, both were ill. That must mean both teams have their excuses out of the way for the main event this weekend,” said ABAC coach Alan Kramer.

The ABAC coach added about his team’s Sunday victory, “we had a great crowd and the 6-3 win was encouraging. It was a relief to end our six-match losing streak.”

ABAC got singles wins from Nkoueleue, who was up 3-0 in the first set before winning by default at No. 2; Neil Scantlebury, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3; Harry Hahn, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 4; and Veiga, by default at No. 6.

Scantlebury and Nkoueleue won 8-6 at No. 1 doubles for ABAC, while Olinus Olsson and Brent Bjerregaard won at No. 3 by default.

With his team now at 14-10 this season, Kramer will try to prepare the Stallions for the state tournament this weekend in Atlanta. Besides ABAC and Perimeter, that event will also feature Gordon College.

“We’re looking forward to the tournament,” Kramer said. “I believe our tough, 25 match schedule will help going into the tournament.”

To get ready for the tournament, ABAC will play Southern Poly Tech in Atlanta Thursday. A four-year school, Southern Poly Tech features former Stallion Gustavo Gimenez.