Top-Seeded Queens Wins 2017 South Atlantic Conference Men’s Tennis Tournament Championship
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The No.1 seeded Queens University of Charlotte Royals (16-1) capped off their perfect South Atlantic Conference season in dramatic fashion, Saturday afternoon in Rock Hill, S.C. beating the No. 2 seeded Wingate University Bulldogs (17-5) by a final of 5-3 from the Rock Hill Tennis Center.
Queens opened the afternoon's clash with a 2-1 lead following doubles play as the Royals No. 2 tandem of Agustin Aran Martin and Sebastian Meum knocked off Tyler Schofer and Amir Zari by a final of 8-1. While Jules Athalis and Joel Dunlap beat Duncan Addision and Theo Dessacs 8-4 at No.3 doubles.
Wingate captured a game at No. 1 doubles as Daniel Belsito and Josh DuToit knocked off the Royals top team of Paolo Bompieri and Andor Vas 8-5.
The Bulldogs tied the match at 2-2 early into singles play as Dessacs beat Martin 6-2, 6-2 at No 3 singles, before Vas gave the Royals back the lead at 3-2 with a 6-4, 6-2 win over DuToit at No. 4 singles.
Wingate tied the match 3-3 following No. 2 singles when Belsito knocked off SAC Freshman of the Year Paolo Bompieri 6-4, 6-2. However, SAC Player of the Year Jules Athalis beat Filippo Pezzoli 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 giving Queens a 4-3 lead with No. 5 and No. 6 singles being the match's deciding factor.
No. 5 and No. 6 singles gave spectators all the tennis action they could ask for as Meum and Zari swapped sets 7-5, 6-2 at No. 5 singles, while Championship Most Valuable Player Zachary Williams gave the Royals their fifth and deciding point at No. 6 singles. Winning the opening set 6-3 over Nicholas Oliveira, before loosing the second set 6-2. Despite heavy cramping, Williams held on in the third and final set, winning by a final of 6-2 to send the Royals to the 2017 NCAA Division II Tennis Championship.