SURPRISE, Ariz. - For the third straight season, the Columbus State University men's tennis team will be playing for the NCAA Division II national championship. On Wednesday, the top-ranked and top-seeded Cougars punched its ticket to the title match with a 4-0 win over sixth-ranked and fourth-seeded University of Hawaii - Hilo in the NCAA Championship semifinals at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Center.
The Cougars (23-0) will look for the program's second national championship (2018) on Thursday against a familiar foe, Barry University, at 5 p.m. It's the third consecutive championship match between the teams, a first in NCAA Division II history. The second-ranked and second-seeded Bucs knocked off 11th-ranked and third-seeded University of Indianapolis in the other semifinal match on Wednesday.
Columbus State didn't have much trouble in doubles play against the Vulcans. First doubles was over quick as the top-ranked duo of
Alvaro Regalado and
Javier Cueto Ramos dropped just one game in a 6-1 decision over Martin Soukal and Santiago Di Loreto.
Felix Steen and
Christian Garay gave the Cougars the doubles point with a 6-3 win against Luca Checchia and Joshua Liu at second doubles.
In the unfinished match,
Pietro Martinetti and
Tommaso Schold were leading Chun en Wu and Alessio DeMichlis 5-4 in the third spot.
Hawaii Hilo (11-3) couldn't get things going against the taut CSU singles lineup. Cueto Ramos recorded his second win of the championship at fourth singles to record the second Cougar point after blasting Checchia 6-1, 6-1. Martinetti jumped into the sixth spot on Thursday and didn't disappoint. The freshman defeated Liu in a 6-2, 6-1 straight-set victory.
Second-ranked Regalado sent the Cougars to the finals and kicked off the celebration after winning 6-1, 6-3 over 22nd-ranked Soukal at the first position.
In the unfinished matches, 15th-ranked Garay was up a set against DeMichelis at second singles, while Di Loreto won the first set via a 7-3 tiebreaker at fifth singles. Third singles was deep in the first set with En Wu leading 32nd-ranked Schold 6-5.
