PENSACOLA, Fla. – The No. 6 Valdosta State men's tennis team posted a 4-3 victory over No. 8 West Alabama Friday morning in Pensacola, Fla.  VSU improved to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in Gulf South Conference play, while UWA fell to 7-4 overall and 5-2 in league play.
 
The Tigers won the doubles point, winning at Nos. 2 and 3, while VSU's tandem of juniors Luca Mack and Rodrigo Carvalho won 6-1 at the top spot over Lucas Hammond and Wilson Igbinovia. 
 
Heading to singles, VSU evened the match with a 6-0, 6-2 victory at No. 6 from junior Pedro Cordeiro and then Mack, ranked second nationally, downed No. 52 Ilari Vesanen, 6-1, 6-2 for a 2-1 lead.  With the momentum, Carvalho won 7-5, 6-4 at No. 2 in a thriller as he was down 4-1 in the second set and rattled off five-straight for the victory.  Junior Christian Wedel then defeated Loic Danze, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 4 to clinch the match.  UWA won the final two courts for the 4-3 final. 
 
The Blazers return home to host Montevallo Mar. 16 at 12 p.m. at the VSU Tennis Complex.