DEMOREST, Ga. -- Facing its stiffest competition from a USA South foe this season, the Covenant men's tennis team passed its test in a resounding, 8-1, win at Piedmont on a chilly afternoon at the Burgen Tennis Courts.

Covenant (10-4, 4-0 USA South) takes full control of the USA South West Division with the victory. It was the Scots' fifth straight win overall and the fourth consecutive victory over Piedmont in the all-time series.

The Scots and host Lions battled for five hours, but Covenant came out on top in nearly each of the tight contests. Covenant's only loss came in doubles play.

Covenant took a 2-1 lead following the pairs action, despite all three matches being close. Solomon Crouch and Austin Dreslinski worked past Piedmont's Jackson Traylor and Alberto Nunez by an 8-6 margin at the top flight. At No. 2, Gill Dunn and Ethan Gibson took an 8-5 win over Roman Webb and Mike Porcelli.

Piedmont (15-5, 4-1 USA South) got its lone point at No. 3 as Chris Bale and Patrick Dempsey eked past the Scots' Camden Lashley and Ben Luke, 8-4.

The Scots left no doubt in singles action as the visitors took all six flights, including two in three sets.

Dreslinski gave Covenant a 3-1 match lead with his 6-2, 6-4 win over Nunez at the top spot. Luke then made it 4-1 with a 7-6(2), 6-0 win over Bryce VanOrder at the No. 2 spot.

Gibson clinched the match for the Scots with a tough, 7-5, 7-5, win over Porcelli at the No. 3 position. Dunn then won his ninth straight singles match with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Traylor at the No. 5 spot before Crouch's 6-1, 5-7, 10-5 win over Bale at No. 4.

Cameron Cortman finished off the victory with a three-set victory over Dempsey at No. 6, 2-6, 6-4, 10-6.

UP NEXT

Covenant hosts No. 33-ranked Sewanee on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

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