CHATTANOOGA, TENN. – Gamecock men's tennis had several phenomenal performances in their fall finale at the Steve Baras Invite. JSU's Vicente Arbelaez, Agustin Cuellar, Xavier Sarda Marti, and Alejandro Beneyto Sanchez finished atop their flights in that event at Chattanooga.
 
"This was a great way to end the fall," Jacksonville State head coach Mike Mucci said after the event. "We took some different guys that hadn't played a lot this fall and it was good to see them get some experience."
 
Cuellar showed out in a big way in the Volunteer State by winning the Blue Flight- the top singles flight- of the Steve Baras Invite. The first-year Gamecock from Bolivia edged freshman teammate Xavier Sarda Marti 6-0, 7-5, in an all JSU final. 
 
Two other Jacksonville State competitors had deep runs in their singles flights. Beneyto Sanchez made it to the finals of the Chatt Singles Flight before falling to UTC's Peyton Gatti, 6-3, 2-6, 10-5, in what Mucci called a "hard-fought loss." 
 
Sophomore Logan Haga advanced to the last round of the Mocs Flight. The Zephyrhills, Fla., native defeated opponents from UAB and Austin Peay in his run to the finals.
 
"We had multiple solid singles performances, but Agustin (Cuellar) really stood out," Mucci said. "He is proving more and more every match that he is a legit player, and we are excited to see his growth heading into the spring."
 
Jax State had strong showings in doubles competition as well, winning both of the flights they participated in. The freshman duo of Cuellar and Sarda Marti won the Power C Doubles Flight with a 6-2 triumph over UTC's Peyton Gatti and Simon Labbe. 
 
Additionally, the team of Arbelaez and Beneyto Sanchez won 6-3 over UAB's Chase Parker and Vojtech Podzemny in the final round of the Tennessee Flight. According to Mucci, the Steve Baras Invite marked the first time the young Gamecocks had played together. 
 
"I was also happy with our improvement in doubles," Mucci said. "We have been focusing on that a lot in practice, so it was great to win two of the doubles flights."
 
That impressive outing in Chattanooga, Tenn., caps off a wonderful start to the 2022-23 campaign for JSU men's tennis. After seeing dominant performances and flight victories at prestigious invites such as the Grizzly Open, ITA Southern Regionals, and Steve Baras Invite, the Gamecocks turn their full attention toward the spring portion of their schedule.
 
Jacksonville State will open ASUN play on March 17 at Eastern Kentucky. Their conference home opener will take place two days later at the JSU Tennis Courts against North Alabama.
 
Mucci's women's team will be back in action this weekend as they conclude their fall slate in the Stetson Fall Invite. 
 
To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, follow their Twitter (@JSUGamecocksTN), Instagram (@jsumenstennis), and Facebook accounts. 
 
Blue Flight
Cuellar (JSU) def. Nouchakis (UAB) 6-2, 6-2
Sarda Marti (JSU) def. Podzemny (UAB) 6-3, 6-4
Cuellar (JSU) def. Sanchez (UAB) 6-2, 6-4
Cuellar (JSU) def. Sarda Marti (JSU) 6-0, 7-5
 
Gold Flight
Alin Fatu (JSU) def. Spyropoulos (UAB) 6-2, 6-1
Matarredona (UNA) def. Arbelaez (JSU) 6-3, 6-4
Simkin (Troy) def. Fatu (JSU) 6-7 (5), 3-3 ret. 
Arbelaez (JSU) def. Bogdanovich (Lipscomb) 7-6 (0), 2-6, 11-9
Brain (UNA) def. Arbelaez (JSU) 6-4, 2-1 ret.
Matarredona (UNA) def. Fatu (JSU)
 
Chatt Flight
Beneyto Sanchez (JSU) def. Becchis (Austin Peay) 6-2, 6-0
Lucius Soller (JSU) def. Salas (Lipscomb) 6-3, 6-4
Beneyto Sanchez (JSU) def. Mudre (UTC) 6-3, 6-4
Gatti (UTC) def. Soller 6-3, 5-7, 10-1
Gatti (UTC) def. Beneyto Sanchez 6-3, 2-6, 10-5
Soller def. Mudre (UTC) 6-1, 6-1
 
Mocs Flight
Haga (JSU) def. Holcomb (UAB) 6-1, 7-5
Haga (JSU) def. Schaub (Austin Peay) 7-5, 6-2
Minami (Austin Peay) def. Haga (JSU) 6-1, 6-3
 
Nooga Flight
Puric (UAB) def. Konstantin Benneman (JSU) 6-4, 4-6, 10-5
Benneman (JSU) def. Nevenhoven (UTC) 
Benneman (JSU) def. Parker (UAB) 6-2, 6-4
 
Power "C" Flight- Doubles
Cuellar/Sarda Marti (JSU) def. Tortajada/Becchis (Austin Peay) 6-3
Bodganovich/Mesquida (Lipscomb) def. Fatu/Soller (JSU) 6-4
Cuellar/Sarda Marti (JSU) def. Nouchakis/Bradbury (UAB) 6-1
Matarredona/Fedoryshyn (UNA) def. Fatu/Soller (JSU)
Simkin/Andres (Troy) def. Fatu/Soller (JSU)
Cuellar/Sarda Marti (JSU) def. Lebbe/Gatti (UTC) 6-2
 
Tennessee Flight- Doubles
Beneyto Sanchez/Arbelaez (JSU) def. Dellien/Holcomb (UAB) 6-3
Benneman/Haga (JSU) def. Stoker/Nogueira (Austin Peay) 6-2
Beneyto Sanchez/Arbelaez (JSU) def. Bixby/Diniz (UNA) 6-4
Podzemny/Parker (UAB) def. Benneman/Haga (JSU) 6-4
Benneman/Haga (JSU) def. Bixby/Diniz (UNA) 6-1
Beneyto Sanchez/Arbelaez (JSU) def. Podzemny/Parker (UAB) 6-4
 
Extra Singles Matches
Sarda Marti (JSU) def. Kincses (UTC) 7-5, 6-0