Box Score ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Dayton men's tennis team opened the Atlantic 10 Championship with a 4-2 win over seventh-seeded Saint Louis on Friday afternoon at USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
"Big time win today," head coach
Ryan Meyer said. "So proud of the guys. The conditions were tough but we were ready. For most of our guys this was their first experience with playing in the A-10 Championship. I definitely think nerves cost us the doubles point, and we bounced back to get four singles points. We're looking forward to playing Richmond tomorrow in the semifinals."
The No. 2 seed Flyers improve to 13-5 on the season, while the Billikens finish the year at 10-7. Dayton has now won eight-consecutive matches dating back to March 4, with two of those wins coming against Saint Louis.
UD started the day by dropping the doubles point. Sophomores
Connor Bruce and
Max DeCurtins opened with a victory in No. 1 doubles, besting David Hopper and Eliott Ekindi 6-2. SLU would bounce back, knocking off the Flyers in the second and third doubles flight putting the Flyers down 1-0 early in the match.
Dayton rebounded in singles play, taking four of the five completed flights and the match 4-2. Senior
Will Harper tied the match at 1-1 by taking No. 6 singles in straight sets 6-4, 6-1. After SLU won on Court Three, Bruce tied it again taking the first singles flight in straight sets as well 6-3, 6-4.
Sophomore
Matt DeMarco gave UD a lead by winning on Court Four in straight sets and senior
Steven Karl clinched the match, putting the Flyers into the semifinals with a 7-6, 6-0 straight-set victory over Theo Ortis in No. 2 singles.
"Clinching the match felt awesome and very rewarding," Karl said. "I was just really happy to celebrate it with my team and help us move on to the semifinals. Overall I was just really happy to contribute a point to our team and it just happened to be the clincher."
The Flyers will return at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday to take on No. 3 Richmond in the semifinals. The match will again take place at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
