INDIANAPOLIS - The top-ranked Columbus State University men's tennis team cruised to a 4-0 victory over No. 11 University of North Georgia in the quarterfinal round of the ITA DII National Indoor Championships on Friday in Indianapolis.
The Cougars (5-0), who are the two-time defending champions of the event, won their seventh straight match at the ITA Indoor Championships. CSU is yet to still drop a point in the tournament.
"I thought the guys played well and had some good intensity," said head coach Evan Isaacs. "Things only get tougher every day, so we need to maintain this energy."
Seventh-seeded North Georgia (2-2) made Columbus State fight to earn the doubles point as the two sides split the first two matches. CSU's third team of Javier Cueto Ramos and Felix Steen were the first to finish, taking down Daniel Osap and Sebastian Murillo 6-2. After UNG won second doubles, Alvaro Regalado and Pietro Martinetti clinched the first point of the afternoon by winning first doubles 6-3 over Joaquin Benoit and Zach Waldow.
The Cougars were dominant at first, fourth and fifth singles, finishing off the Nighthawks less than 90 minutes into singles action. Christian Garay pushed CSU's lead to 2-0 after he took fourth singles 6-2, 6-0 against Cole Brainard. Top-ranked Regalado was the next to finish as he blasted second-ranked Benoit 6-4, 6-2 in a first singles showdown.
Martinetti had the honor of sending the Cougars into the semifinals. Minutes after Regalado made it 3-0, 36th-ranked Martinetti closed out his 6-2, 6-2 win over Osap to secure Columbus State's spot in the final four.
The only three singles matches were unfinished.
UP NEXT
Columbus State will either take on No. 9 Saint Leo University in the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. SLU defeated No. 8 University of Indianapolis 4-3 on Friday
RESULTS - (played at the UINDY Tennis Center)
Singles
1. #1 Alvaro Regalado (CSU) def. #2 Joaquin Benoit (UNG) - 6-4, 6-2
2. #8 Javier Cueto Ramos (CSU) vs. #26 Ryan Gaskin (UNG) - 4-6, 5-2, unfinished
3. Tommaso Schold (CSU) vs. Zach Waldow (UNG) - 3-6, 6-5, unfinished
4. Christian Garay (CSU) def. Cole Brainard (UNG) - 6-2, 6-0
5. #36 Pietro Martinetti (CSU) def. Daniel Osap (UNG) - 6-2, 6-2
6. Justin Welz (CSU) vs. Giulio Sassi (UNG) - 4-6, 1-4, unfinished
Doubles
1. Regalado/Martinetti (CSU) def. Benoit/Waldow (UNG) - 6-3
2. Gaskin/Brainard (UNG) def. Schold/Garay (CSU) - 6-3
3. Cueto Ramos/Felix Steen (CSU) def. Murillo/Osap (UNG) - 6-2
