ORLANDO - The top-seeded VCU Rams survived a furious battle with the fourth-seeded Dayton Flyers to advance to the finals of the Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Tennis Championship, held at the USTA National Campus.
The Flyers got out to an early start in the match, taking two out of three doubles courts. Langford Hills and Joe DeMarco finished first at No. 2 doubles, before Steven Karl and Lorenzo Rollhauser clinched the opening point for UD.
In singles play, VCU made quick work of the first sets on courts four, five and six. Inigo Torre Martin tied the match winning on court No. 4, 6-0, 6-2 against Steven Karl. Philip Mobius finished off his second set next, recording a 6-3, 6-3 decision at No. 3 singles, putting the Rams up 2-1 on the match.
After taking the first set in a tiebreak, Dayton's Jordan Benjamin defeated Rayane Stable at top singles, 6-1, to tie the match. At No. 6 singles, Inaki Rivero Crespo finished next in straight-sets, swinging momentum back towards to the Rams, 3-2.
Langford Hills, who also earned first set tiebreak at No. 2 singles defeated Arvid Noren to again tie the match at 3-3, putting the match in the hands of Javier Amantegui and Joe DeMarco.
Amantegui got off to a quick start winning the opening set, 6-1, before DeMarco came back in a 7-6(4) tiebreaker. DeMarco battled back to force the 5-5 tie, but Amantegui took the next game, and the eventual clinching point for the Rams.
With the win, the Rams will face the Richmond Spiders for the second time in three years in the final, which will air on ESPN+ at 10 am on Sunday.
MATCH #9
#1 VCU def. #4 DAYTON, 4-3
SINGLES
1. Jordan Benjamin (UD) def. Rayane Stable (VCU) 7-6(5), 6-1
2. Langford Hills (UD) def. Arvid Noren (VCU) 7-6(2), 6-4
3. Philip Mobius (VCU) def. Spencer Richey (UD) 6-3, 6-3
4. Inigo Torre Martin (VCU) def. Steven Karl (UD) 6-0, 6-2
5. Javier Amantegui (VCU) def. Joe DeMarco (UD) 6-1, 6-7(4), 7-5
6. Inaki Rivero Crespo (VCU) def. Lorenzo Rollhauser (UD) 6-0, 6-4
Order of Finish: 4, 3, 1, 6, 2, 5
DOUBLES
1. Jordan Benjamin/Spencer Richey (UD) vs. Inigo Torre Martin/Arvid Noren (VCU) 4-3, DNF
2. Langford Hills/Joe DeMarco (UD) def. Javier Amantegui/Rayane Stable (VCU) 6-3
3. Steven Karl/Lorenzo Rollhauser (UD) def. Inaki Rivero Crespo/Philip Mobius (VCU) 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3
ORLANDO - The second-seeded Richmond Spiders blanked the third-seeded Davidson Wildcats to earn a spot in the final of the Atlantic 10 Men's Tennis Championship, held at the USTA National Campus.
Richmond's doubles took care of business early, with Campbell Erwin and Klein Evans taking court No. 3, 6-2. Matthew Fernandez and Joshua Keitelman would clinch the crucial opening point 6-4 in the top position over Axel Fries and Alex Loope.
Erwin continued his hot play with a straight-set victory, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles to extend the Spiders lead, before Fernandez also picked up a victory at top singles. Joseph Nardini clinched the match with a 7-5 second set victory against Brooks Green.
VCU and Richmond will play in the finals for the second time in three years, on Sunday at 10 am and will air on ESPN+.
MATCH #10
#2 RICHMOND def. #3 DAVIDSON, 4-0
SINGLES
1. Matthew Fernandez (UR) def. Axel Fries (DAV) 6-4, 6-1
2. Yash Parikh (DAV) vs. Klein Evans (UR) 6-4, 3-5, DNF
3. Sam Kavarana (DAV) vs. John Walsh (UR) 7-6(6), 1-1, DNF
4. George Lovitt (UR) vs. Tommy Mason (DAV) 3-6, 6-3, DNF
5. Campbell Erwin (UR) def. Camden Mazzoni (DAV) 6-2, 6-2
6. Joseph Nardini (UR) def. Brooks Green (DAV) 6-3, 7-5
Order of Finish: 5, 1, 6
DOUBLES
1. Matthew Fernandez/Joshua Keitelman (UR) def. Axel Fries/Alex Loope (DAV) 6-4
2. George Lovitt/John Walsh (UR) vs. Matthew Rose/Yash Parikh (DAV) 5-3, DNF
3. Campbell Erwin/Klein Evans (UR) def. Doug Macintosh/Camden Mazzoni (DAV) 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1