BUENA VISTA, Va. – Longwood men's tennis was supposed to wait two more days for a chance to bounce back. But when expected inclement weather forced this Friday's match against Southern Virginia up two days, Longwood gladly accepted the opportunity.
 
In their return to the court after a heart-breaking 4-3 loss against Commonwealth foe James Madison this past Sunday, the Lancers (5-3) put together a dominant effort up and down the lineup to take down Southern Virginia 7-0 Wednesday afternoon at the SVU Tennis Courts.
 
The triumph featured straight-set wins at all six singles spots and a doubles sweep en route to the team's third shutout of the season.
 
"Today's match was good to regain confidence in ourselves and work on what we've been practicing in real match situations," said sophomore Marc Casasnovas, who chipped in a singles win at No. 6 and a doubles win alongside Rosen Naydenov at No. 3.
 
"We've been practicing how to perform in matches as we do during practices, and today was a good opportunity to do it. Next week we play begin conference play, so we are using these matches to get ready for it."
 
Casasnovas rallied for a near-perfect win at No. 6 singles, dropping just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Southern Virginia's Adam Kelly. That singles win was his third of the season and part of a one-sided effort that saw Longwood surrender no more than four games in any set on the day.
 
"It was good to get a win," said Longwood's second-year head coach and director of tennis Jhonnatan Medina Alvarez. "For me the most important thing is to create a schedule for this team that was like what I had as a professional player. You want your players to have different type of rhythms throughout the season when you want them to peak. For us, that means leading up to when conference play begins."
 
Spearheading that charge atop the lineup were sophomore Guilherme Sergio and junior Amadeo Blasco, who swapped positions as Longwood's No. 1 and 2 to little disruption to the Lancer rotation. Sergio, in his first try as Longwood's No. 1, knocked off Paul Monson 6-3, 6-0, while Blasco improved to 8-0 on the spring with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Kukutla Motlojoa at No. 2.
 
Sergio and Blasco also teamed up for a 6-3 doubles win over Southern Virginia's top pairing of Motlojoa and Daniel Blonquist. That victory also improved Longwood's top duo to 6-0 on the year, tied for the top mark of all No. 1 doubles pairs in the Big South.
 
Reigning Big South Freshman of the Week Guillermo Cagigas followed with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Blonquist at No. 3, while Julian Farthing defeated Ben Spencer 6-1, 6-1 and Naydenov took down Andrew Blonquist 6-4, 6-0.
 
Now winners of three of their past four, the Lancers are just three matches away from the start of Big South play against perennial championship contender Winthrop on March 17.
 
"This team has been playing great teams, and they've not only won a few, but they have also learned from them and gained knowledge," Medina Alvarez said. "That's what we're happy about, learning the different levels our players have in front of them and evolving into a team that's more aggressive physically. When they face a team they should be able to take, they're becoming more aware of how and when to use different elements of their game to be more effective. They're realizing how to play by adaptation, and today was a perfect example of that."
 
Before that upcoming Big South opener against the Eagles, however, Longwood will face a pair of in-state foes when they travel to Washington & Lee on March 10 and then to Norfolk State on March 14.
 
Longwood 7, Southern Virginia 0
Feb. 27, 2019
Buena Vista, Va. (SVU Tennis Courts)
 
Singles competition
1. SERGIO, Guilherme (LWU) def. MONSON, Paul (SVU) 6-3, 6-0
2. BLASCO, Amadeo (LWU) def. MOTLOJOA, Kukutla (SVU) 6-1, 6-3
3. CAGIGAS, Guillermo (LWU) def. BLONQUIST, Daniel (SVU) 6-2, 6-1
4. FARTHING, Julian (LWU) def. SPENCER, Ben (SVU) 6-1, 6-1
5. NAYDENOV, Rosen (LWU) def. BLONQUIST, Andrew (SVU) 6-4, 6-0
6. CASASNOVAS, Marc (LWU) def. KELLY, Adam (SVU) 6-1, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. BLASCO, Amadeo/SERGIO, Guilherme (LWU) def. MOTLOJOA, Kukutla/BLONQUIST, Daniel (SVU) 6-3
2. FARTHING, Julian/CAGIGAS, Guillermo (LWU) def. MONSON, Paul/SPENCER, Ben (SVU) 6-2
3. NAYDENOV, Rosen/CASASNOVAS, Marc (LWU) def. BOWERS, Zachary/BLONQUIST, Andrew (SVU) 6-3
 
Match Notes
Longwood 5-3
Southern Virginia 3-1
 
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