The No. 14 Georgia men’s tennis team defeated 48th-ranked Auburn, 4-0, Saturday afternoon at the Yarbrough Tennis Center, to improve to 9-0 in conference play.
 
 
Georgia (13-6) now holds streaks of three-straight shutouts and 24-consecutive conference wins. The Bulldogs won the doubles point, sweeping the first two decisions before Nathan Ponwith clinched the match at the first singles court. Auburn falls to 12-10 (3-5 SEC) on the year.
 
 
“That was a very successful weekend,” Georgia head coach Manuel Diaz said. “Our guys really were impressive today. We played a really complete match and it couldn’t have come at a better time as we try to build towards our last home-stand. We’ll play two tough matches against Florida and South Carolina next weekend. I feel like we’re gaining confidence and we played extremely well today.”
 
 
Wayne Montgomery and Walker Duncan, who clinched Thursday’s doubles point against Mississippi State, got it started for Georgia with a 6-2 victory at the third doubles court. The nation’s 48th-ranked pair was close behind as Ponwith and Emil Reinberg clinched the doubles point at No. 2, defeating Auburn’s second doubles team, 6-1. Robert Loeb and Jan Zielinski, who are currently ranked eighth, led 5-2 when the doubles point was clinched.
 
 
For the second consecutive match, Duncan put the first singles point on the board for Georgia. The sophomore from Atlanta defeated Auburn’s Edward Nguyen 6-2, 6-1 to put the Bulldogs ahead 2-0. Wayne Montgomery, who clinched the win on Thursday, made it 3-0 with a 6-4, 6-0 victory at the second court over Carles Sarrio. Since moving to the second singles position, Montgomery is 4-0.
 
 
Ponwith’s clincher came at No. 1 against 67th-ranked Max Hinnisdaels in a 6-1, 6-2 decision. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native, who this week won his third SEC Freshman of the Week honor, has now clinched five of Georgia’s nine conference wins.
 
 
The Bulldogs will be back in action next weekend for their final two home matches of the regular season, hosting 12th-ranked Florida and No. 21 South Carolina.
 
 
Said Diaz, “We hope we get our best crowd yet this year at 5:00 on Friday against Florida, as we continue to ‘Strive for Five.’” Three wins to end the regular season would mean a fifth-straight SEC title for the Bulldogs.
 
 
Tennis Match Results
#14 Georgia 4, #48 Auburn 0
April 1, 2017 at Auburn Ala. (Yarbrough Tennis Center)
 
 

Singles Results
1. Nathan Ponwith (UGA) def. #67 Max Hinnisdaels (AU), 6-1, 6-2
2. #32 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. Carles Sarrio (AU), 6-4, 6-0
3. Conner Huertas (AU) vs. #65 Emil Reinberg (UGA), 4-6, 4-1, unfinished
4. Olle Thestrup (AU) vs. Jan Zielinski (UGA), 1-6, 4-4, unfinished
5. Walker Duncan (UGA) def. Edward Nguyen (AU), 6-2, 6-1
6. Dante Saleh (AU) vs. Robert Loeb (UGA), 3-6, 2-4, unfinished
 
 
Doubles Results
1. #18 Max Hinnisdaels/Conner Huertas (AU) vs. #8 Jan Zielinski/Robert Loeb (UGA), 2-5, unfinished
2. #48 Nathan Ponwith/Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Edward Nguyen/Brandon Laubser (AU), 6-1
3. Wayne Montgomery/Walker Duncan (UGA) def. Dante Saleh/Olle Thestrup (AU), 6-2
 
 
Match Notes
Georgia 13-6; National ranking #14
Auburn 12-10; National ranking #48
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,2,1)