Tuesday, March 11
Elon, N.C.
2 p.m.
Bucknell University
5
at
2
Elon
Men’s Tennis Wins Clutch Three-Setters to Hold off Elon, 5-2
3/11/2025 7:27:00 PM | Men's Tennis
ELON, N.C. – Trailing 5-3 in the third set at No. 1 singles, Amar Tahirovic won four straight games to win the match and clinch Bucknell's 5-2 win over Elon on Tuesday afternoon at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. It was Bucknell's second straight victory on the North Carolina leg of its Spring Break trip, and the Bison improved to 9-4 on the season.
The match was much tighter than the 5-2 scoreline indicates, as Bucknell led 3-2 with the contests at first and second singles both headed to third sets. Tahirovic took the first set from Veljko Krstic at love, but Krstic took the second set 6-3 and led 5-3 in the third before the Bison captain stormed back. Tahirovic held serve and then broke Krstic to even the set at 5-all. After holding again to go up 6-5, Tahirovic won a big deuce point to secure the winning point.
Stavrakas was all knotted up at 2-2 in the third set against Rafael Ymer when Tahirovic clinched, and at 5-5 Stavrakas won the last two games to win the set 7-5. The Bison are now 23-1 in the top two positions in dual matches this spring, 10-1 at No. 1 and 13-0 at No. 2.
Bucknell started the day by winning the doubles point. Elon won at No. 1 doubles, but Stavrakas and Oscar Bain Moreno de Vega and Liam Kilmer and Nelson Alapi both won by 6-4 counts at 2 and 3.
Bain and Kilmer both came back to win their singles matches in straight sets. Kilmer beat Charles Pilet 6-3, 6-2 at No. 4, and then Bain brought the Bison to the brink of victory with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Oskar Antinheimo on Court 3.
Jack Curtis' three-set win at No. 5 kept the Phoenix alive, but they could not pull out the close matches at the top of the ladder.
Tahirovic is now 21-3 in singles this season and 71-18 in his career. He tied former teammate Tim Zelikovsky for fifth place on Bucknell's all-time wins list, and he needs one more to move into a tie for third.
Bucknell finishes up its Tar Heel State tour on Friday at Davidson.
The match was much tighter than the 5-2 scoreline indicates, as Bucknell led 3-2 with the contests at first and second singles both headed to third sets. Tahirovic took the first set from Veljko Krstic at love, but Krstic took the second set 6-3 and led 5-3 in the third before the Bison captain stormed back. Tahirovic held serve and then broke Krstic to even the set at 5-all. After holding again to go up 6-5, Tahirovic won a big deuce point to secure the winning point.
Stavrakas was all knotted up at 2-2 in the third set against Rafael Ymer when Tahirovic clinched, and at 5-5 Stavrakas won the last two games to win the set 7-5. The Bison are now 23-1 in the top two positions in dual matches this spring, 10-1 at No. 1 and 13-0 at No. 2.
Bucknell started the day by winning the doubles point. Elon won at No. 1 doubles, but Stavrakas and Oscar Bain Moreno de Vega and Liam Kilmer and Nelson Alapi both won by 6-4 counts at 2 and 3.
Bain and Kilmer both came back to win their singles matches in straight sets. Kilmer beat Charles Pilet 6-3, 6-2 at No. 4, and then Bain brought the Bison to the brink of victory with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Oskar Antinheimo on Court 3.
Jack Curtis' three-set win at No. 5 kept the Phoenix alive, but they could not pull out the close matches at the top of the ladder.
Tahirovic is now 21-3 in singles this season and 71-18 in his career. He tied former teammate Tim Zelikovsky for fifth place on Bucknell's all-time wins list, and he needs one more to move into a tie for third.
Bucknell finishes up its Tar Heel State tour on Friday at Davidson.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
#1 Singles Match
123
637
Veljko Krstic / 0 [EU]
065
#2 Singles Match
123
667
Rafael Ymer / 0 [EU]
475
#3 Singles Match
12
67
Oskar Antinheimo / 0 [EU]
36
#4 Singles Match
12
66
Charles Pilet / 0 [EU]
32
#5 Singles Match
123
642
Jack Curtis / 0 [EU]
266
#6 Singles Match
12
22
Juan Sengariz / 0 [EU]
66
Order of Finish:
6,5,3,4,1,2
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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