LAKELAND, Fla. – The third-ranked Saint Leo University men's tennis teams opened the spring championship season in dramatic fashion with a 4-3 win at #13 Florida Southern. The Lions earned first year head coach Austin Hensley his first collegiate coaching win on Wednesday evening. The match came down to the final point, in similar fashion as the 2024 spring season ended but this time the Lions prevailed.

Saint Leo earned the doubles point with a clean sweep of the off three doubles courts. Eduardo Cohen and Luis Iriarte, ranked third in the ITA doubles rankings, earned a 6-2 win. Thanks to a 6-4 win at the number one doubles by Vincent Thiel and Taiyo Hirano the Lions clinched the doubles point and the early 1-0 advantage. Kodai Kato and Jose David Segovia earned the win at number three doubles to complete the doubles sweep.

Florida Southern evened the match at 1-1 with a win at number three singles. Singles wins on courts five and six by Luis Iriarte (6-0, 6-2) and Taiyo Hirano (6-4, 6-3) gave the Green & Gold  a 3-1 advantage. Southern crawled its way back to earn hard fought victories at number one and two singles to tie the match at 3-3. After dropping the first set 6-4 at number four singles, Kodai Kato rallied to win the second and third set to clinch the win for the visiting Lions.
 
#3 SAINT LEO 4, #13 FLORIDA SOUTHERN 3
DOUBLES
1. Vincent Thiel/Taiyo Hirano (SLU) def. Chris Fok Kow/Mario Garoz (FSC) 6-4
2. Eduardo Cohen/Luis Iriarte (SLU) def. Edoardo Melindo/George Russell (FSC) 6-2
3. Kodai Kato/Jose David Segovia (SLU) def. Sam Frizelle/Onur Turgut (FSC) 7-6(2)
 
SINGLES
1. Sam Frizelle (FSC) def. Vincent Thiel (SLU), 6-4, 6-3
2. Chris Fok Know (FSC) def. Dylan Andrianaly (SLU), 6-2, 6-4
3. Mario Garoz (FSC) def. Jose David Segovia (SLU), 6-3, 6-0
4. Kodai Kato (SLU) def. Matthew Hewitt (FSC), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Luis Iriarte (SLU) def. Onur Turgut (FSC) 6-0, 6-2
6. Taiyo Hirano (SLU) def. Gabriel Jornert (FSC), 6-4, 6-3

ORDER OF FINISH 
DOUBLES: 2,1,3
SINGLES: 3,5,6,2,1,4

UP NEXT
The Lions hit the road and head to Indianapolis for match at Marian University. First serve is set for 2 p.m. on February 12.