DEMOREST, Ga. -- Covenant men's tennis senior Chris Cox broke a program record with his 51st career singles win, but the Scots faltered for the first time in USA South play with a narrow, 5-4, loss at Piedmont on Wednesday afternoon.
Covenant (11-3, 5-1 USA South) still retains the top spot in the USA South West Division standings. Piedmont (8-5, 6-2 USA South) ends up with a regular season split with Covenant for a second straight year.
Cox broke Josh Jeremiah's program record of 50 career singles victories with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Piedmont's Jackson Hill at the No. 2 spot. Cox is now 51-30 overall in his career as a Scot, including a 12-3 mark this season. The win on Tuesday tied the match at 3-3 heading into the final three singles matches to be completed.
Covenant would fall behind 4-3 in the match, but Matthew Harvie tied it once again with his 6-2, 6-4 win over Nathan Metzger at the top flight. Down to the final singles match, Piedmont's Kanler Cumbass would prevail over Covenant's Logan Hull 7-6(5), 6-3 to give Piedmont the victory.
The Scots had a 2-1 lead after doubles play ended. After Piedmont took a 1-0 match lead with a win at No. 3 doubles, the Scots took the next two to gain a 2-1 edge. Harvie and Cox continued their dominance at the top spot as they took down Hill and Metzger by an 8-6 final. Harvie and Cox have won 12 straight doubles matches together and are 14-2 overall on the year. The tally for Cox was his 50th career doubles win, while it was the 49th in the career of Harvie.
The Scots then took the one-decision lead after Taylor Galloway and Hull combined for an 8-6 victory over Alex Tomlin and Sam Niebanck.
UP NEXT
Covenant will return to the Covenant Tennis Complex on Friday against Huntingdon. Match time has been moved back to 2 p.m.
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