BRUNSWICK, Ga.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team was upended in the semifinals of the 2022 Sun Conference Tournament, falling 4-0 to the No. 17 Southeastern University Fire on the campus of the College of Coastal Georgia. The Fire took the first two doubles matches, then the first three singles matches to finish to claim the sweep. Southeastern advances to the championship game Friday against No. 2 Keiser, while Ave Maria now awaits their postseason fate.
Southeastern's doubles point came from wins at the second and third positions. Both SEU wins were by 6-3 margins, as Victor Olivera and Diego Menendez defeated Fernando Orihuela and Sebastian Grijalva at the second spot, and Theodor Preiswerk and Enrique Martinez toppled Guilherme Bento and Carlos Thireau at the third spot. At the number one slot, seventh-ranked Roy Stepanov and Federico Barbon held a 5-4 lead over Nicholas Hofmeister and Bruno Duarte when the doubles point was clinched.
The Fire won at the top three spots in singles play to clinch the match. Two of the three matches were won in straight sets, with No. 30 Roy Stepanov winning 6-3, 6-3 at the top spot, and Federico Barbon claiming a 6-4, 6-3 at the third position. The clinching point was provided by Victor Olivera, who rallied from a 6-3 loss in the first set to take the final two frames against Bruno Duarte, 7-6, 6-1.
At the bottom three spots, the Gyrenes and the Fire were in the third set when the match was clinched. Diego Menendez led the number four match in the third set, after splitting the first two sets with Sebastian Grijalva. Guilherme Bento and Enrique Martinez were tied in the third set at the clinch, while Carlos Thireau and Theodor Preiswerk were just underway in the final set when the match was called.
Ave Maria will now have a weekend to wait for the decision of the NAIA selection committee. The Gyrenes will find out Tuesday if their 11-6 record will be enough for the school's first-ever berth in the NAIA Tournament. All six of Ave Maria's defeats this season have come against nationally-ranked competition, with five wins against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches' Poll.
