DAHLONEGA - On a breezy Friday afternoon, the No. 11 University of North Georgia men's tennis team took down Mount Olive in the opening round of the 2021 NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Southeast Regional, 4-0, at the UNG Tennis Complex at Yahoola Creek.

After a slow start out of the gates, North Georgia took the doubles point by virtue of a 6-2 win by Zach Waldow and Joaquin Benoit and a 6-3 win by Giulio Sassi and Jared Bones.

The Nighthawks kept the momentum up in the singles portion of the match, winning every set that finished. Sassi got UNG its second point of the day with a quick 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 5. Waldow followed shortly behind with a 6-4, 6-2 win on the fourth line before Daniel Ostap clinched the match with a 6-2, 6-4 win on the third line.

Tim Kiehl was a game away from finishing, up 6-3, 5-4 on the sixth line when the match finished, while Benoit was up, 6-1, 5-5. Ryan Gaskin was in the tightest matchup, but was leading by a set when the match concluded, 7-5, 0-2.

North Georgia will turn around to face No. 6 and second-seeded Lander tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. at the UNG Tennis Complex in the semifinal round of the regional.