ROCK HILL, S.C. – Winthrop men's tennis (6-6, 3-0 Big South) took a thrilling 4-3 victory over Coastal Carolina (6-10, 0-2) Friday afternoon in an almost three and a half hour contest at Rock Hill Tennis Center.

HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Eagles took the doubles point for the sixth time this season to get off to a strong start. Gabriel Dias and Joshua Ryan maintained their undefeated record with a quick 6-1 victory on court three, while newly paired duo Diego Quiroz and Tremayne Mitchell won 6-2 in just their second match together. Quiroz and Mitchell clinched their match, and the doubles point, on an emphatic overhead volley by Mitchell to break serve and get the 6-2 win.  

-Singles play saw several battles, including a marathon first set at No. 1. After a back-and-forth power struggle, Quiroz went up 6-5 on a break but was unable to clinch on serve. In the set tiebreak Quiroz would surge ahead for the win and take the momentum into the second set, taking the straight-set victory, 7-6, 6-2.

-Mitchell appeared in position for a second-consecutive straight-set victory after taking the first set 6-1, but Paul Boulay of Coastal came back to take the second 7-5. Mitchell righted the ship with a strong 6-2 third-set, maintaining his perfect 6-0 record in three-set matches. Mitchell's win tied the match at 2-2.

-The match decision would come down to a battle on court five between Dias and Coastal's Lawrence Perrin. Dias dropped the first set 6-2 and looked to be in trouble, down 5-2 in the second and a game away from Coastal clinching the match. Facing defeat, Dias battled back to take a set tiebreaker 7-6 and force a third set, which he would also take 7-6 in a set tiebreaker to earn the win for the Eagles. Overall, Dias saved five match points in the gutsy victory.

NOTABLES
-Tremayne Mitchell won his sixth-straight singles match with a three-set victory on court three. Mitchell is undefeated in three-set matches this season, with a perfect 6-0 record, 9-3 overall.

-Gabriel Dias and Joshua Ryan improved to 7-0 at doubles court three, maintaining their league-best record in the Big South Conference at the third position.

UP NEXT
The Eagles host Big South opponent Campbell on Sun., Mar. 25 at 1 p.m. at Rock Hill Tennis Center. This is a change from the match's originally scheduled time – Saturday at 2 p.m. – changed due to inclement weather in the forecast.

FULL RESULTS
Singles
1. QUIROZ, Diego (WIN) def. Faria, Luiz (COASTAL) 7-6, 6-2
2. Talic, Zak (COASTAL) def. PAPPAYIANNIS, L. (WIN) 6-0, 7-6
3. MITCHELL, Tremayne (WIN) def. Boulay, Paul (COASTAL) 6-1, 5-7, 6-2
4. Achondo, Gonzalez (COASTAL) def. WILLIAMSON, Connor (WIN) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
5. DIAS, Gabriel (WIN) def. Perrin, Lawrence (COASTAL) 2-6, 7-6, 7-6
6. Cori-Gamero, F. (COASTAL) def. RYAN, Joshua (WIN) 6-3, 6-0

Doubles
1. QUIROZ, Diego/MITCHELL, Tremayne (WIN) def. Perrin, Lawrence/Achondo, Gonzalez (COASTAL) 6-2
2. WILLIAMSON, Connor/PAPPAYIANNIS, L. (WIN) vs. Cori-Gamero, F./Talic, Zak (COASTAL) 4-4, unfinished
3. DIAS, Gabriel/RYAN, Joshua (WIN) def. Faria, Luiz/Boulay, Paul (COASTAL) 6-1