FLUSHING, N.Y. – Top-seeded Queens and second-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas advanced to the final of the ECC Men's Tennis Championship after the Knights topped fourth-seeded Daemen, 4-0, and the Spartans defeated third-seeded District of Columbia, 4-0, on Friday afternoon. For the fifth consecutive season, Queens and St. Thomas Aquinas will now meet in Saturday's final, set for a 5:30 p.m. start at the Queens Tennis Bubble.
The defending-champion Knights (14-6) have won five of the last six ECC titles, while the Spartans (14-6) won the program's first title in 2022.
(1) Queens 4, (4) Daemen 0
Box Score
The Knights wasted no time clinching the doubles points with victories at #1 and #3 court before Queens earned singles victories at #4, #3, and #2 to earn the 4-0 sweep.
In doubles play, the pair of senior Francisco Gonzalez and All-Conference Team selection freshman Tim Andersson would make quick work of Lasse Mergens and Rohan Chitanand with a 6-0 victory at #3 doubles. Queens would clinch the doubles point as the senior pair of ECC Player of the Year Roni Rikkonen and Omar El Shehawey earned a 6-0 victory over Alex Lumanog and Juan Alvarez at #1 doubles. The #2 doubles match went unfinished with the Knights up, 5-1.
In singles play,
Queens would take a 2-0 lead as All-Conference Team selection sophomore Lucas Foix Sotos knocked off Chitanand to the score of 6-1, 6-0 at #4 singles. Andersson would put the Knights one point away from clinching the match as he defeated Garcia to the score of 6-0, 6-1 at #3 singles. All-Conference Team selection junior Cameron Henricy would advance the Knights to the ECC Final match with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Alvarez at #2 singles.
Recap courtesy of Queens College Sports Information
(2) St. Thomas Aquinas 4, (3) District of Columbia 0
Box Score
STAC opened things up with a dominant performance in doubles play, taking two matchups to secure the team doubles point. The duo of Ondrej Sramek and Ludovico Truffelli slipped past Louis Mangeon & Louka Queguiner, 6-4 at No. 1, followed by the pair of Don Vinz Lominoque and Nathan Yacar taking another 6-4 win over Oskar Karos & Mauricio Corty at the No. 2 position.
Once the Spartans secured the doubles point, there was no turning back. St. Thomas Aquinas jumped right into singles play, taking the first three matches from the Firebirds to secure the win and advance to Saturday's championship. Seth Newman started the victory spree in the No. 3 slot, taking a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Antonio Simo Durall. Alberto Espinosa Navarro followed the trend taking a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Mauricio Corty in the No. 5 slot to give the Spartans a commanding 3-0 lead and put UDC on the ropes, facing elimination. Ondrej Sramek delivered the final knockout blow in the No. 4 position, cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 win against Oskar Karos to end the postseason contest.
Recap courtesy of St. Thomas Aquinas College Sports Information