Oakland City (Ind.) wins first RSC Men's Tennis Championship, IU East runner-up
Oakland City (Ind.) wins first RSC Men's Tennis Championship, IU East runner-up
BOX SCORE I BRACKET
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. - Oakland City (Ind.) University claimed its first River States Conference Men's Tennis Championship title with an intense, 4-2 win against Indiana University East on April 30. The Mighty Oaks edged the Red Wolves in the finals matchup at Top Seed Tennis Club.
Oakland City (9-6), the No. 2 seed for the RSC Championship, advances to the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship. IU East, the No. 1 seed for the RSC Championship for the first time, finishes 9-10.
Oakland City took the early advantage by claiming the doubles point. Carlos Hernandez and Teodor Zlatar won 6-3 at No. 2 doubles. Andre Baltazar and Gustavo Marangoni rallied from a 4-3 deficit to win 6-3 at No. 1 doubles and gave the Mighty Oaks a 1-0 lead in the team scoring.
IU East won the first set on five of the six singles courts, but Oakland City gradually regained the momentum.
The one Mighty Oak who won a first set, Angel Gomez, gave his team a 2-0 lead with an efficient 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles.
The Mighty Oaks moved one win from the title when Marangoni's opponent at No. 3 singles was forced to retire in the 80-degree heat.
With its margin for error gone, IU East got its first point from Sebastian Torrealba at No. 6 singles. It was 3-2 after Moises Sosa regrouped for a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles.
Attention shifted to the No. 2 singles court, where Oakland City's Teodor Zlatar and IU East's Francisco Faundez were neck-and-neck deep into the third set.
Zlatar fought off break points to go ahead 4-3, got a crucial break to go ahead 5-3, and held on his next service game to win the match and set off a Mighty Oak celebration.
The NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship starts May 17 in Mobile, Ala.