Belleville, Ill., May 11, 2019 – The No. 7-ranked Washington University in St. Louis men's tennis team advanced to the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals for the 13th-straight season with a 5-0 win over No. 27 Kalamazoo College Saturday at Kings Point Sports Club in Belleville, Ill.
After sweeping doubles play for the 12th time this season, junior Bernardo Neves picked up a dominating straight-set win at No. 2 singles to make it 4-0. Senior Konrad Kozlowski followed with a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles to clinch the match.
Neves and Kozlowski also teamed up with an 8-2 win at No. 2 doubles. They dropped the first two games before reeling off eight straight.
WashU improved to 19-7 with the win, while Kalamazoo had its seven-match win streak snapped and ended its season with a 14-7 mark.
"We played good doubles today. Got off to a fast start at No. 1 and No. 2, and then picked up a tight win at No. 3," said WashU head coach Roger Follmer. "We hoped to get in the NCAA Tournament, and we are making the most of the opportunity."
Match-by-Match Results
Doubles
1. Konrad Kozlowski/Bernardo Neves (WASHUM) def. Daniel Henry/Ian Yi (KZOO-M) 8-2
2. Ethan Hillis/Benjamin van der Sman (WASHUM) def. Zack Ray/Allen Vinson (KZOO-M) 8-3
3. Radha Vishnubhotla/Daniel Li (WASHUM) def. Alex Cardigan/Tytus Metzler (KZOO-M) 8-7 (7-4)
Singles:
1. #6 Ethan Hillis (WASHUM) vs. Ian Yi (KZOO-M) 7-5, 3-5, unfinished
2. #32 Bernardo Neves (WASHUM) def. Daniel Henry (KZOO-M) 6-0, 6-2
3. Daniel Li (WASHUM) vs. Tytus Metzler (KZOO-M) 3-6, 6-2, unfinished
4. Benjamin van der Sman (WASHUM) vs. Allen Vinson (KZOO-M) 6-2, 3-2, unfinished
5. Konrad Kozlowski (WASHUM) def. Alex Cadigan (KZOO-M) 6-4, 6-1
6. Koki Takabatake (WASHUM) vs. Zack Ray (KZOO-M) 1-0, unfinished
Notes:
• WashU is 9-6 against nationally-ranked teams this season
• Follmer has guided WashU to 19 or more wins nine times in his career
• Vishnubhotla and Li won the final six points to win the tiebreaker at No. 3 doubles
Up Next:
WashU takes on No. 3-ranked Emory on Monday, May 20, in the NCAA Quarterfinals in Kalamazoo, Mich. Emory defeated WashU 5-3 on April 27 in the UAA Semifinals.
