The Coastal Carolina University men's tennis team (5-4) defeated Gardner-Webb University 6-1 Feb. 26 in Conway, S.C. Coastal took five singles matches and earned the doubles point in the win.

Sophomore Richard Redding (Winscombe, England) and junior Florentin Meynie (Nanterre, France) won 9-7 in doubles over Kern Phillips and Daniel Abrahao. Sophomore Andy Caress (Cincinnati, Ohio) and sophomore Simon Taylor (Hampshire, England) won 8-6 over Roberto Vasquez and Brandon Boozer.

Taylor stepped up to number-one singles and defeated Taylor Ferrier 7-5, 6-3. Freshman David Mellis (London, England) won his match over Phillips 6-3, 6-4. Caress beat Kim Ellis in a three-set match 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. Redding won in the number five slot over Abrahao 6-2, 6-0 and sophomore Ryan Vrba (Algonquin, Ill.) defeated Chris Brady 6-0, 6-0.

"This win will hopefully give the program momentum going into our first conference match next weekend against Birmingham-Southern," Coastal head coach Chris Powers said. "We’ve made good strides so far, but our intensity and focus level must improve in practice this week if we want to make some noise in the Big South."

Coastal’s match with Stetson scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 27, has been cancelled due to the weather forecast. The next match for the Chants is Saturday, March 5, at Birmingham-Southern. Match time is at noon.

Singles

1. Simon Taylor (CCU) def. Taylor Ferrier, 7-5, 6-3

2. Roberto Vasquez (GWU) def. Florentin Meynie, 7-5, 6-4

3. David Mellis (CCU) def. Kern Phillips, 6-3, 6-4

4. Andy Caress (CCU) def. Kim Ellis, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1

5. Richard Redding (CCU) def. Daniel Abrahao, 6-2, 6-0

6. Ryan Vrba (CCU) def. Chris Brady, 6-0, 6-0

Doubles

1. Ferrier/Ellis (GWU) def. Mellis/Vrba, 8-5

2. Redding/Meynie (CCU) def. Phillips/Abrahao, 9-7

3. Caress/Taylor (CCU) def. Vasquez/Brandon Boozer, 8-6