Men’s Tennis Results:
(1) Green Bay 4, (5) UIC 0 | (2) Valparaiso 4, (3) Cleveland State 1
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Green Bay clinched a fifth straight trip to the Horizon League Men’s Tennis Championship, while Valparaiso earned its first trip in program history on Saturday at the Schwartz Tennis Center.
The No. 1 seed, Green Bay cruised to a 4-0 win over No. 5 UIC in the morning session before No. 2 Valparaiso outlasted third-seeded Cleveland State in the afternoon session.
The Phoenix started strong, with the No. 2 doubles team of Howard Scott and Joey Leto clinching its doubles match, 6-1. UIC followed with a win at No. 3 doubles to move all eyes to the No. 1 court.
In a tie-break, Michael Tenzer and Florian Kraenzler prevailed, 7-3, to take the set, 7-6, and give the Phoenix the early lead.
The Phoenix turned it up a notch in singles play, taking a 2-0 match lead when Kraenzler dispatched his opponent 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4 singles.
Tenzer won in dominating fashion as well, winning 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1 singles to put Green Bay up 3-0.
With match point on the line, Leopold Gomez Islinger closed out his second set by a score of 6-4 and sent the Phoenix to the conference finals.
Green Bay advanced to the Horizon League Championship final for the fifth straight season with the win; the Phoenix claimed the conference title in both 2012 and 2014.
Valparaiso ground its way into its first championship berth, ending Cleveland State’s run of reaching the championship match at seven straight years.
The Crusaders grabbed the early advantage in doubles, as victories at Nos. 3 and 1 singles in rapid succession put Valpo ahead, 1-0.
The lead grew to 3-0 shortly thereafter, as Charlie Emhardt rolled to a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 4 was joined in the winner’s column by Horizon League Player of the Year Jeffrey Schorsch, who collected a 6-4, 6-2 victory at No. 1.
From there, though, Cleveland State dug in, and led all four remaining matches after the first sets were finished.
Colton Buffington got the Vikings on the board with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 win at No. 6, but Valparaiso began its rally, forcing every remaining match to a third set.
Coming down the stretch, Dave Bacalla and Garrett Gardner were in a virtual dead heat to claim the match for the Crusaders, as both were serving for the match at the same time. It was Bacalla who collected the clinching point, winning at No. 2, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-4.
Green Bay and Valparaiso will meet at 12 pm ET on Sunday, April 26, to determine the Horizon League’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament. The match will be carried on ESPN3 and internationally via the Horizon League Network.
Horizon League Men’s Tennis Championship Semifinal Results
(1) Green Bay 4, (5) UIC 0
Doubles:
1. Michael Tenzer/Florian Kraenzler (Green Bay) vs. Isaac Lloveras/Carl Hedstrom (UIC) – GB, 7-6(3)
2. Howard Scott/Joey Leto (Green Bay) vs. Maurizio Feoli/Eric Pontow (UIC) – GB, 6-1
3. Leopold Gomez Islinger/Michael Tebon (Green Bay) vs. Chris Cole/Mitch Granger (UIC) – UIC, 6-2
Order of finish – 2-3-1
Singles:
1. Michael Tenzer (Green Bay) vs. Isaac Lloveras (UIC) – GB, 6-3, 6-1
2. Leopold Gomez Islinger (Green Bay) vs. Chris Cole (UIC) – GB, 6-2, 6-4
3. Howard Scott (Green Bay) vs. Carl Hedstrom (UIC) – GB led, 7-6, 3-3 unfinished
4. Florian Kraenzler vs. Mitch Granger (UIC) – GB, 6-2, 6-2
5. Josh Schramm (Green Bay) vs. Maurizio Feoli (UIC) – GB led, 6-1, 5-5 unfinished
6. Joey Leto (Green Bay) vs. Max Cederkall (UIC) – UIC led, 1-6, 6-3, 3-2 unfinished
Order of finish – 4-1-2
(2) Valparaiso 4, (3) Cleveland State 1
Doubles:
1. Jeffrey Schorsch/Charlie Emhardt (Valparaiso) vs. Ali Shabib/Nolan Marks (Cleveland State) – Valpo, 6-4
2. Dave Bacalla/Chase Hamilton (Valparaiso) vs. Manuel Bellutti/Mirko Radosevic (Cleveland State) – CSU led 5-3 unfinished
3. Lucas Waak/Garrett Gardner (Valparaiso) vs. Joe VanMeter/Jorg van der Vloet (Cleveland State) – Valpo, 6-2
Order of finish – 3-1
Singles:
1. Jeffrey Schorsch (Valparaiso) vs. Joe VanMeter (Cleveland State) – Valpo, 6-4, 6-2
2. Dave Bacalla (Valparaiso) vs. Jorg van der Vloet (Cleveland State)– Valpo 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-4
3. Garrett Gardner (Valparaiso) vs. Manuel Bellutti (Cleveland State) – Valpo led 3-6, 7-5, 5-4 unfinished
4. Charlie Emhardt (Valparaiso) vs. Ali Shabib (Cleveland State) – Valpo, 6-3, 6-3
5. Kyle Dunn (Valparaiso) vs. Mirko Radosevic (Cleveland State) – Valpo led 4-6, 6-4, 5-2 unfinished
6. Michael Savaglio (Valparaiso) vs. Colton Buffington (Cleveland State) – CSU 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
Order of finish: 4-1-6-2
