COLUMBUS - The top-ranked and top-seeded Columbus State University men's tennis team will storm into the NCAA Championship quarterfinal round on Tuesday to take on eighth-seeded and 29th-ranked Cameron University at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Ariz.
The Cougars (21-0) will be looking to advance to the national semifinals for the fourth straight season when they take the court against the Aggies (12-7) at 5 p.m
Columbus State is rolling heading into Arizona after winning the program's seventh regional title under head coach
Evan Isaacs. The Cougars haven't dropped a point in any of their last seven matches, including five wins over ranked opponents during the stretch. CSU punched its ticket to the quarterfinal round with a 4-0 win over 10th-ranked University of North Georgia on May 9.
Four Cougars carry a singles' winning streak of 10 matches or more to the court on Tuesday.
Javier Cueto Ramos hasn't dropped a match since opening day, rattling off 16 straight wins to up his record to 16-1.
Pietro Martinetti, who won sixth singles during CSU's 4-0 win over 19th-ranked Wingate University in the NCAA Tournament second round, and second-ranked
Alvaro Regalado are both on 12-match winning streaks. Freshman
Justin Welz (11-0) joins Martinetti (12-0) as the lone unbeaten Cougar (min. 5 matches) in singles play this season. Wrapping up the Cougar lineup will be 15th-ranked
Christian Garay (12-2) and 32nd-ranked
Tommaso Schold, who leads CSU with 18 wins. Both players have played vital roles for the Cougars this year.
In doubles play, second-ranked Regalado and Cueto Ramos are 17-2 at the top spot, including a 3-0 mark in postseason play so far. Garay and
Felix Steen are 15-2 together at second doubles, while Schold and Martinetti are a perfect 19-0 as a duo.
Cameron has played just one match in over three weeks, but it was a big one as the Aggies defeated St. Mary's University 4-0 to win the NCAA South Central Regional. It's the first time CU is in the NCAA quarterfinals since 2015.
The Aggies are led by Oscar del Granado and Bruno Vietri, who are ranked 43rd and 47th respectively, in the latest ITA singles rankings. Vietri has played in 13 matches, all at first singles, going 6-7. del Granado is tied for second in wins on the team with a 12-6 mark, including a 9-4 record at second singles. The duo excels in doubles play, holding a 12-3 record and are ranked eighth in the nation.
This will be the second all-time meeting between Columbus State and Cameron. The two teams met in the NCAA Tournament round of 16 in 2017 with the Cougars walking away with a 5-1 victory.
The winner of Tuesday's match will advance to the NCAA Championship semifinals on Wednesday against either fourth-seeded and 22nd-ranked Concordia University (NY) or fifth-seeded and sixth-ranked University of Hawaii - Hilo.
Columbus State is in search of the program's second national championship and third straight appearance in the title match.
