SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Armstrong Atlantic prevailed in a battle of Peach Belt Conference unbeatens against No. 7 Lander 6-3 on Tuesday in the Pirates' first home match of the 2014 season at Bacon Park.
The win pushes Armstrong (5-2, 5-0 PBC) to the top of the league standings as Lander (8-3, 4-1 PBC) takes its first league loss of the season. The Pirates finally played a 2014 home match after having its five previous attempts cancelled or postponed due to weather.
Armstrong took two of three doubles matches for a critical 2-1 heading into singles play. The duo of Jaan Kononov and Pablo Gor defeated Oscar Axelsson and Adam Jonsson 8-5 at No. 1 doubles, while the duo of Ignacio Hernandez and Damian Okrutny edged Marc Hofer and Samuel Poutignat, 9-8 (7-2) at No. 3 doubles. Lander's doubles point came at No. 2 doubles as Niklas Terhorst and Vincent Verpeaux downed Luca Cerin and Pedro Scocuglia 8-6.
The Pirates then won four of six singles matches to clinch the match. No. 9-ranked Scocuglia bested No. 13 Verpeaux 7-5, 6-3 at No. 1 singles, while No. 39-ranked Kononov downed Ristomatti Lanne 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. No. 10-ranked Gor knocked off Jonsson 6-2, 6-4 at No. 3 singles and No. 20-ranked Hernandez downed Hofer 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 at No. 4 singles.
Lander's two singles wins came at No. 5 singles as Terhorst defeated Cerin 6-3, 6-3 and at No. 6 singles as Zegarra downed Okrutny 6-0, 6-4.
