TWU's Run Comes to an End in NAIA Semifinal Round

TWU's Run Comes to an End in NAIA Semifinal Round
May 24, 2022

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [BRACKET | SCHEDULE] After Georgia Gwinnett won its fourth match of the 2022 NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship without dropping a court, Keiser (Fla.) punched its ticket with a hard-fought, 4-3 victory over Tennessee Wesleyan. The championship matchup will be the second consecutive season the two teams will meet in the title match and third time in the last four seasons.

Game Notes & Highlights

  • With a pair of 6-3 doubles victories to begin the momentum, No. 1 Georgia Gwinnett took one step closer to its eighth-consecutive national title, knocking out No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan.
  • Valentino Caratini and Alex Gurmendi each posted a shutout in one set of their victories at four and two, respectively, before Vicente Lagos clinched the match with a pair of 6-3 victories over Isaac Steiner.
  • Georgia Gwinnett is now a perfect 31-0 all-time in national championship play
  • Georgia Gwinnett is third all-time in national championships with seven. They trail former members Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (9), and Redlands (Calif.) (11).
  • Indiana Wesleyan completed its most successful season in the postseason in team history. Friday's match was the first appearance in team history in the semifinal round of the men's tennis national championship
  • In the second semifinal match, No. 3 Keiser (Fla.) came back from a 3-2 deficit to stun No. 2 Tennessee Wesleyan, capturing the top and bottom singles flights to cement the rally.
  • Geronimo Barrios and Charly Zick notched a 6-4 win over German Delcanto and Gregorio Magnarelli to finish doubles play with the Seahawks in the advantage.
  • Yassir Kilani doubled the Seahawk lead with a 6-3, 6-4 win at the four singles, but TWU came roaring back with three-straight victories, clawing back a 3-2 lead.
  • Soufiane El Mesbahi tied the match at three apiece by topping Octavio Volpi, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, forcing a winner-take-all between two of the nation's top singles players.
  • With everyone gathered, Luke Simkiss overcame a first-set loss to defeat Oscar Gabriel Ortzi, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, clinching the match for the Seahawks, and allowing another chance for Keiser to take on No. 1 Georgia Gwinnett in the championship match.