Recap courtesy of St. Thomas Aquinas College Sports Information
PHILADELPHIA, PA – The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Tennis team punched its ticket to Florida and the program's first-ever NCAA Division II Championship Finals on Saturday, courtesy of a thrilling 4-3 victory over Jefferson University in the East Regional Tournament held at the Legacy Youth Tennis and Education Center in the City of Brotherly Love.
BOX SCORE
The win moves the Spartans to 17-6 on the season, and is the team's seventh triumph in their last ten matches. Meanwhile, the Rams close their 2024-2025 campaign at 10-8.
STAC now awaits the seedings for the upcoming NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Finals, which will take place May 20-24 in Altmonte Springs, Florida at Sanlando Park. Rollins College and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission will serve as hosts.
Doubles victories by the maroon and gold at the number three (Ondrej Sramek & Erik Victor Tauson 6-4 over Jules Thibault & Antonio Mateos Melenchon) and number one (Seth Newman & Henry Ronnberg 7-5 over Mario Antonio & Filip Slavkovic) positions gave St. Thomas Aquinas the first team point of the day.
No. 5 Ondrej Sramek would then open singles with a 6-2, 6-2 win against Johary Rabetrano to make it 2-0 in favor of the second-seeded Spartans from Sparkill. However, Jefferson would get themselves on the board, as No. 2 Anthony Moukarzel defeated Lorenzo Meschini 6-3, 7-6 (5) to make it 2-1. STAC would answer to put the Rams on the brink of elimination at 3-1, with No. 6 Henry Ronnberg besting Antonio Mateos Melenchon (JEFF) 6-4, 6-4. Unfortunately, Jefferson would not go quietly into their summer hiatus, taking the next two matches at the No. 1 - Mario Antonio downing Seth Newman 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (3) and No. 3 spots - Enrigue Soto Ballester beating Erik Victor Tauson 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 to even things at 3-3.
It would all come down to one final bout, as No. 4 Don Vinz Lominoque and Jules Thibault squared off for the right to send their team to Florida and the NCAA Championship Finals. Back and forth throughout, Lominoque was finally able to close things out with a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) triumph, with the Spartans storming the court in celebration of a goal and a dream finally reached.