The No. 6 Lynn University men’s tennis team took out the No. 5 Valdosta State Blazers 5-1 on Saturday morning at Sanlando Park to claim the program’s first national championship. Valdosta State was the defending national champion.
The Fighting Knights swept doubles play against the Blazers handily. The No. 1 duo of Lorenzo Cava and Julien Carsuzaa rolled by Dominik Hansen and Leos Jelinek 8-6, while Denis Reinert and Dennis Riegraf powered by Joerg Ekkenga and Nikolas Overkemping 8-4 in the second position. The third match was most contested, as Tomas Racak and Axel Joachim overcame Mickael Andreo and Thomas Provost 9-7.
Lynn only needed two singles matches to complete their victory, yet Valdosta State was able to clinch one point at the No. 6 spot. Hansen defeated Joachim 6-3, 6-1. Racak took the fourth point by pummeling Overkemping 7-5, 6-1 in the No. 5. Riegraf clinched the match for the Fighting Knights by taking down Provost 6-4, 6-3 in the third slot.
The championship is the seventh overall for LU coach Mike Perez, as the Lynn’s women’s team has won six NCAA Division II and NAIA national titles. The Fighting Knights’ men’s squad concludes its spectacular season with a program-record 24 wins.