COLUMBUS – The second-seeded Columbus State men's tennis team, ranked No 3 in the latest ITA Poll, collected a 4-0 win over seventh-seeded Belmont Abbey College in the opening round of play in the 2026 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional at the John W. Walden Tennis Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Columbus State gained an early lead in the match with a point in doubles play as the duo of senior Thomas Cardona and junior Samer Al Tori won 6-1 at No. 2, followed by an identical 6-1 win at No. 3 from the tandem of senior Daniel Hammond and freshman Hugo Didier.
- In singles play, (5) Cardona opened with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Belmont Abbey's Isaac Buerkle, who is ranked 64th in the ITA, while Didier registered a 6-4, 6-2 win on court two for a 3-0 match lead.
- Hammond finished off the match and propelled the Cougars deeper into the postseason with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 victory in the fifth flight to complete the sweep over the 22nd-ranked Crusaders.
UP NEXT
Columbus State will face the winner of today's afternoon match between third-seeded Lander University and sixth-seeded Flagler College tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.
