ANDERSON, S.C. - The 29th-ranked Anderson men's tennis team rallied from an early deficit on the doubles side, but ultimately fell, 5-4, to 39th-ranked Wingate in South Atlantic Conference action Monday afternoon at the Max Grubbs Memorial Tennis Courts.

Anderson fell to 8-8 overall and 6-2 in the conference, while Wingate improved to 15-3 and 8-0, while clinching at least a share of the league's regular-season title.

Anderson's Stan Atema and Daniel Gonzalez improved to 10-6 on the season by defeating Wingate's Andrew Owen and Flavio Rathsam, 8-2, at the No. 1 doubles flight.

Atema earned his second win of the afternoon at No. 1 singles when the Bulldogs' Matthew Lichtenstein retired with Atema holding a 2-1 advantage in the third set after the two players split the first two sets. AU's Deni Mehagic defeated Rathsam, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 3 and Gonzalez collected his second win of the afternoon when Braeden Patchell retired with Gonzalez holding a 6-4, 5-4 lead.

Anderson gets back in action quickly by visiting second-place Brevard on Tuesday afternoon. First-serve is slated for 2 p.m.

Tennis Match Results
Wingate University vs Anderson
Apr 11, 2011 at Anderson, S.C.
(Max Grubbs Memorial Courts)
#39 Wingate University 5, #29 Anderson 4

Singles competition
1. Stan Atema (AUM) def. Matthew Lichtenstein (WIN) 4-6, 6-4, 2-1, retired
2. Andrew Owen (WIN) def. Ilya Zakharov (AUM) 7-5, 6-2
3. Deni Mehagic (AUM) def. Flavio Rathsam (WIN) 6-2, 6-1
4. Daniel Gonzalez (AUM) def. Braeden Patchell (WIN) 6-4, 5-4, retired
5. Fernando Montemurro (WIN) def. Trey Halbauer (AUM) 7-5, 7-6
6. Ryan Forbes (WIN) def. Loic Ambrose (AUM) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Stan Atema/Daniel Gonzalez (AUM) def. Andrew Owen/Flavio Rathsam (WIN) 8-2
2. Matthew Lichtenstein/Braeden Patchell (WIN) def. Ilya Zakharov/Trey Halbauer (AUM) 8-2
3. Fernando Montemurro/Greg Machado (WIN) def. Deni Mehagic/Loic Ambrose (AUM) 8-3
Match Notes:
Wingate University 14-3, 7-0 SAC; National ranking #39; Regional ranking #11
Anderson 8-7, 6-1 SAC; National ranking #29; Regional ranking #9