ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – The top-ranked and third seed Saint Leo University men's tennis breezed through the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championship. The Lions posted a 4-0 victory over the 14-seed #36 Queens (N.Y.) College on Tuesday afternoon. Saint Leo is now set to take on Wayne State in the national quarterfinals, after the Warriors defeated Washburn 4-3 in their opening round match up.
Saint Leo improved to 23-3 on the season and are now 5-2 in neutral site contests.
The Lions made it a clean sweep of the doubles point winning all three courts. #28
Luis Iriarte and
Martin Soukal opened the match with a 6-4 doubles win. Both the second and third doubles pairs won 6-3 and finished simultaneously with
Nicolas Bacella and
Ghali Mensour getting credit for the clinching victory at number two doubles.
The Green and Gold claimed a first set victory on all six singles courts.
Dylan Andrianaly made quick work of his opponent winning the first set 6-1 and then giving the Lions a 2-0 match lead with a 6-0 victory in the second set. After a 6-2 opening set victory for
Ghali Mensour, he battled to a 6-4 win in the second set to give Saint Leo a 3-0 match lead. Just like Andrianaly on court five, #8
Vincent Thiel posted a 6-1 first set win. Thiel saw his opponent battle back into the second set as his opponent made it a 5-4 score in the second set before Thiel closed the deal and clinched the match for a 6-4 second set win.
(3) #1 SAINT LEO 4, (14) #36 QUEENS (N.Y.) 0
DOUBLES
- #28 Luis Iriarte/Martin Soukal (SLU) def. Roni Rikkonen/Omar El Shehawey (QC) 6-4
- Nicolas Bacella/Ghali Mensour (SLU) def. Cameron Henricy/Lucas Foix Sotos (QC) 6-3
- Eduardo Cohen/Vincent Theil (SLU) def. Tim Anderson/Francisco Gonzalez (QC) 6-3
SINGLES
- #2 Martin Soukal (SLU) vs. Roni Rikkonen (QC) 7-5, 3-2 UF
- #8 VInccent Thiel (SLU) def. Cameron Henricy (QC) 6-1, 6-4
- Nicolas Bacella (SLU) vs. Tim Anderson (QC) 6-2, 4-5 UF
- Ghali Mensour (SLU) def. Lucas Foix Sotos (QC) 6-2, 6-4
- Dylan Andrianaly (SLU) def. Omar El Shehawey (QC) 6-1, 6-0
- Luis Iriarte (SLU) def. Noah Gauthier (QC) 6-4, 4-3 UF
UP NEXT
Saint Leo advances to the national quarterfinals where it will face the 11-seed Wayne State (Mich.) 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning at the Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla.