SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The top-seeded team in the Midwest Region and 17th-ranked Drury men's tennis team defeated the fourth seeded and 37th ranked Rockhurst Hawks 5-3 at Cooper Tennis Complex on Saturday to earn a trip to the NCAA-II Sweet 16.
The Panthers trailed Rockhurst 2-1 after doubles play with singles play being key for a trip to the Sweet 16. Drury's doubles victory came at No. 3 with Lukas Zielen and Alex Kacamkis posting an 8-4 victory. The Hawks Ben and Zach Newell, ranked third in the region, got past Roman Gonda and Ivan Marevic, ranked 10th in the region, 9-7 at doubles No. 1. John Lazenby and Victor Klintcharov of Rockhurst aided the Rockhurst momentum with an 8-6 win over Jesus San Roman Garica and Antonio Garcia Santos.
In singles Garcia Santos dominated No. 4 singles 6-1, 6-1 and Kacamakis won 6-1, 6-4 over Zach Newell at No. 3. Next to finish was Lukas Zielen at No. 6 singles with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Paulo Bombonatti. San Roman Garcia, ranked No. 1 in the region, knocked off the fifth ranked player in the region to seal the match victory with a 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 1 for the 5-3 DU win.
The Panthers are now 17-4 and are riding a 13-match winning streak entering the NCAA-II Sweet 16 which will be in Altamonte Springs, Florida and take place Wednesday-Saturday, May 12-15. Drury reached the NCAA-II Elite Eight last season and this season marks the Panthers thirteenth straight NCAA-II National Tournament appearance.
Rockhurst University vs Drury University Panthers
(May 8, 2010)#17 Drury University Panthers 5, #37 Rockhurst University 3
May 8, 2010 at Cooper Tennis Complex (Springfield, Missouri)
| Singles competition |
| 1. #31 Jesus Ramon Garcia (DUMEN) def. Newell, Ben (RU) 7-5, 6-1 |
| 2. Klintcharov, Victor (RU) def. Roman Gonda (DUMEN) 7-5, 6-3 |
| 3. Alex Kacamakis (DUMEN) def. Newell, Zach (RU) 6-1, 6-4 |
| 4. A. Garcia Santos (DUMEN) def. Lazenby, John (RU) 6-1, 6-1 |
| 5. Ivan Marevic (DUMEN) vs. Gauto-Mariotti, R. (RU) 7-6, 3-3, unfinished |
| 6. Lukas Zielen (DUMEN) def. Bombonatti, Paulo (RU) 6-1, 6-3 |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Newell, Ben/Newell, Zach (RU) def. Roman Gonda/Ivan Marevic (DUMEN) 9-7 |
| 2. Lazenby, John/Klintcharov, Victor (RU) def. Jesus Ramon Garcia/A. Garcia Santos (DUMEN) 8-6 |
| 3. Lukas Zielen/Alex Kacamakis (DUMEN) def. Gauto-Mariotti, R./Bombonatti, Paulo (RU) 8-4 |
| Match Notes |
| Rockhurst University 10-9; National ranking #37; Regional ranking #4 |
| Drury University Panthers 17-4; National ranking #17; Regional ranking #1 |
Sweet 16 Bracket