Notables
-19th UMAC Tournament title in program history
-CSS is back-to-back tournament champs after winning in 2019
-First postseason meeting between the two programs
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – In a high-energy atmosphere at the Longview Tennis Club on Friday, the St. Scholastica men's tennis team defeated Bridge Rival University of Wisconsin-Superior 5-4 to win the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament championship and receive the conference's automatic bid into next week's NCAA Division III Tournament.
Doubles
To begin the title dual, the Saints won the first doubles match to finish as the No. 3 team of
Giacomo Lucchesi (Lima, Peru/Santa Maria Marianistas) and
Reece Patten (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) cruised to an 8-1 win. However, the Yellowjackets (10-5) responded with an 8-1 win at the No. 2 spot.
It came down to the No. 1 doubles spot as to which team would have the momentum going into singles play. Trailing 6-5, the team of
Elliot Schneider (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) and
Jack Kearney (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS) won the next three games to take match 8-6 and give St. Scholastica a 2-1 lead heading into singles action.
Singles
Superior would take a brief lead in the overall dual by winning in straight sets at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots.
Bradley Golant (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South HS (Hearst-NOJHL)) won 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 6 position to tie the dual at 3-3. Lucchesi finished shortly after Golant and cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 win for his seventh straight win.
Fittingly, it would be Schneider to clinch the championship for the Saints with a 6-4, 6-1 victory at the No. 1 spot as the Saints finished with the 5-4 victory. For Schneider, he improves to 12-0 this season.
Up Next
The Saints (10-4) will take part in their second NCAA Tournament in program history when regional play begins next week. Where and whom the Saints are playing will be announced on Monday at 11 a.m. on NCAA.com.
