CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina men's tennis team handed head coach Chris Powers his 200th career win in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, as the Chanticleers battled back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Presbyterian College Blue Hose 4-3 in non-conference play at the Stevens Tennis Complex in Conway, S.C.
 
The win was the 200th for coach Powers, the winningest coach in CCU men's tennis history.
 
The Chants fell behind 1-0 early after dropping the doubles point to PC with losses at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. The No. 1 doubles tandem of Zak Talic and Joel Popov picked up a 6-2 win before the Blue Hose held on to win the other two doubles spots to take the early match lead.
 
PC carried the momentum over into singles play, as the visiting Blue Hose took victories at both the No. 1 and No. 5 spots to take a 3-0 match lead over the Chants.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Chants responded by sweeping the final four bouts to pick up the come-from-behind win. All four contests went three sets.
 
The comeback started with Daiki Tanabe bouncing back from a first set 6-3 loss to win the next two sets 6-0 and 6-4 to put the home team on the scoreboard.
 
Fellow Chant Pyry Hyrkkonen followed with a three-set 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Daniel Stenger of PC at the No. 2 position to keep CCU alive and put the match score at 3-2 in favor of the Blue Hose.
 
Gonzalo Achondo took the first set 7-5 over Oscar Alvarez of PC at the No. 3 spot, before dropping the second set 6-2 to force a third and decisive set. The senior came up big in the final set, winning 6-1 to take the match and tie the team score up at 3-3.
 
It came down to the bout at No. 6, as Francesco Cori recovered from a second-set loss to defeat Jonathan Bedard 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 and give the home team the 4-3 match win.
 
Coastal (2-1) will return to the courts to take on another Big South foe in the Winthrop Eagles on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 2 p.m. ET in Rock Hill, S.C.

Coastal Carolina 4, Presbyterian 3
Doubles

1. Joel Popov/Zak Talic (CCU) def. Oscar Alvarez/Daniel Stenger (PC) – 6-2
2. Max Benson/Nicholas McKinney (PC) def. Pyry Hyrkkonen/Gonzalo Achondo (CCU) – 7-5
3. Jonathan Bedard/Francesco Cori (PC) def. Daiki Tanabe/Francesco Cori (CCU) – 6-3

 
Singles

1. Max Benson (PC) def. Zak Talic (CCU) – 6-2, 7-5
2. Pyry Hyrkkonen (CCU) def. Daniel Stenger (PC) – 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Gonzalo Achondo (CCU) def. Oscar Alvarez (PC) – 7-5, 2-6, 6-1
4. Daiki Tanabe (CCU) def. Teo Cariov (PC) – 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
5. Alberto Conde (PC) def. Joel Popov (CCU) – 6-4, 6-3
6. Francesco Cori (CCU) def. Jonathan Bedard (PC) – 6-3, 2-6, 6-4

 
Order of finish: Doubles (1, 3, 2); Singles (1, 5, 4, 2, 3, 6)

For complete coverage of CCU men's tennis, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalMTennis (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUSports.com.