COLUMBUS - Both Columbus State University tennis teams will host the 2021 Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship match on Saturday at the John W. Walden Tennis Center.
The top-ranked Cougars will get Championship Saturday started at 9 a.m. by taking on sixth-ranked and second-seeded Lander University. At 1 p.m., the 10th-ranked Lady Cougars will hit the court against 14th-ranked and second-seeded Flagler College.
The CSU men's team is coming off another impressive 4-0 sweep in the PBC semifinals over fourth-seeded Flagler on Monday. The win was the 27th in a row for the Cougars and the sixth straight shutout victory. After CSU earned the doubles point, the PBC Player of the Year,
Alvaro Regalado, and All-PBC selection
Tommaso Schold both picked up singles victories to help clinch the match.
Pietro Martinetti was also a winner for the Cougars on Monday.
Lander earned its way to Columbus after a 4-2 win over the 11th-ranked University of North Georgia. The Bearcats are 14-1 with their lone loss coming against the Cougars on April 3. Thomas De Negri was a first team All-PBC selection and holds an 11-2 singles record. The doubles duo of Adam Elliget and Hugo Regner are 8-1 and are ranked 22nd in the nation.
The Cougars have won the past three PBC Tournaments (2017, 2018, 2019) and also captured the 2014 title.
The Lady Cougars are back in the PBC Tournament finals for the ninth straight time after defeating fourth-seeded Georgia College 4-0. All-PBC selections
Luise Sachs and
Valentina Abrile won singles matches for head coach
Evan Isaacs as CSU won its 54 consecutive match against a PBC foe. The All-PBC first team doubles pair of
Beatriz Lopez and
Candice Paya won a critical match earlier in the day to give the Lady Cougars the first point of the afternoon.
Flagler (14-4) has won six straight matches after suffering a tough 4-3 loss to CSU on April 2. FC had to battle to a 4-1 win over 16th-ranked North Georgia on Wednesday to reach the PBC Tournament championship for the first time in program history. Luisa Hrda and Eden Schlagenhauf were both first team All-PBC picks and are ranked 31st and 24th in the nation, respectively. Hrda was also on the first team for doubles with her partner Amelie Vossgaetter.
In CSU's 4-3 win earlier this season against the Saints, Paya had to rally from a 5-2 third-set deficit at second singles to propel the Lady Cougars to the victory.
Columbus State will be seeking its fourth straight PBC Tournament title.
Fans, will be able to follow
live scoring to keep up with both championship matches.
