VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 4-ranked Valdosta State men's tennis team returned to action in dominating fashion with a 7-0 victory over visiting No. 5 Columbus State on Thursday afternoon at the VSU Tennis Complex.  
 
The Blazers improved to 6-2 on the year, while Columbus State fell to 4-3.  VSU snapped a three-match skid against the Cougars for its first win since a 5-4 decision in Valdosta on Mar. 2, 2018.  CSU had won the last two matches 4-3 and the one before it, 6-1.  It marked the first 7-0 victory by either team in the last ten matches as VSU moved to 4-6 against Columbus State during that time. 
 
At No. 2 doubles, CSU tandem of Thomas Cardona and Daniel Hammond won 6-3 over junior Takeshi Taco and sophomore Jerome Iaconi.  That would be all the momentum the Cougars would have as the Blazers responded with a big upset at No. 3 doubles as Borouch Skierkier and sophomore Jan Skerbatis downed No. 10-ranked Camilo Cano and Justin Welz at the No. 3 spot.  At the top spot, senior Luca Mack and senior Christian Wedel downed Felix Steen and Andreas Sandrone, 6-4 to clinch the point.
 
Heading to singles, the bottom half of the Blazer lineup, which had some struggles earlier in the season, came up huge as Iaconi won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 5 over Benedek Szombathelyi for a 2-0 lead.  Wedel, ranked No. 29 in singles, won 6-3, 6-3 versus Sandrone at No. 4 for a 3-0 lead moments later and then Skerbatis clinched the match with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Elias Peter at No. 6 for a 4-0 win.  Mack then won 6-4, 6-2 at the top spot over Cano for a 5-0 lead.  Skierkier, ranked No. 16 nationally, won 7-5, 6-0 over Hammond who is ranked No. 23, for a 6-0 lead and then Taco, ranked No. 4 in singles, won 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at No. 2 over No. 34 Cardona for the sweep.  
 
VSU continues its homestand on Tuesday at 2 p.m. versus No. 10 Lander and then on Saturday, Mar. 9, at 10 a.m. versus No. 14 Lee.