Emory (Ga.) beat host Gustavus Adolphus 5-2 Sunday to capture the title at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III National Men’s Team Indoor Championships at the Swanson Tennis Center.
Top-seeded Emory was making its third championship match appearance in four years at this event, winning its first title. Second-seeded Gustavus was looking to win its third straight title.
In today’s final, Emory won the doubles point then got wins in singles from Alex Jacobs, Patrick Redmond, Josh Rubens and Jesse Ferlianto. Rubens clinched the win at No. 5, beating Kyle Anderson 7-6, 6-1. Jacobs, Redmond and Ferlianto all went 3-0 for the Eagles this week.
This tournament featured six of the top eight teams in the latest ITA Rankings and is a preview of the season-ending NCAA Championships in May. Emory, last season’s NCAA champ, entered this week’s tournament at No. 1 in the ITA Rankings.
Emory beat MIT in Friday’s first round and Trinity (Texas) in yesterday’s semifinals, both by 5-2 scores. The Eagles, who have no seniors in their starting lineup, have appeared in all four ITA National Team Indoor Championships, and improved to 9-3 at this event. Gustavus falls to 8-2 in four ITA showings.
UC-Santa Cruz beat Trinity (Texas) 4-2 to finish third today. Washington & Lee (Va.) beat Washington (Mo.) 4-2 in last night’s fifth-place match.
MIT topped Bates (Maine) 4-2 in the seventh-place match.
ITA National Team Indoor
Championship Match
Emory 5, Gustavus 2
Doubles
1. Odgers/Jacobs (Emory), def. Morgan/Morse-Karzen (Gustavus), 8-4
2. Ramsay/Rubens (Emory) vs. Collins/Lundell (Gustavus), did not finish
3. Redmond/Ferlianto (Emory), def. Anderson/Bryan (Gustavus), 8-3
Singles
1. Loren Collins (Gustavus), def. Mark Odgers (Emory), 6-3, 6-3
2. Adam Morgan (Gustavus), def. Tyson Ramsay (Emory), 6-2, 7-6
3. Alex Jacobs (Emory), def. Ben Lundell (Gustavus), 6-1, 6-1
4. Patrick Redmond (Emory), def. Brett Morse-Karzen (Gustavus), 6-2, 6-0
5. Josh Rubens (Emory), def. Kyle Anderson (Gustavus), 7-6, 6-1
6. Jesse Ferlianto (Emory), def. Jesse Brauer (Gustavus), 6-3, 2-6 (10-8)
Past Champions:
2001 – UC-Santa Cruz
2002 – Gustavus Adolphus
2003 – Gustavus Adolphus
2004 – Emory
(Story courtesy of Casey Angle, ITA Media Relations)