(LEBANON, Ill., April 29)—The McKendree University men's tennis team won two matches on Friday to earn a spot in the finals of the American Midwest Conference/Heart of America Unaffiliated Tournament being held in Springfield, Mo.
The Bearcats, ranked No. 20 in the NAIA, dispatched of Baker University 5-0 before holding off Lindenwood University in a semifinal match, 5-2. The wins give McKendree 20 victories for the second straight year. The Bearcats are now 20-2 overall and will square off against No. 13-ranked Graceland University in the unaffiliated tournament finals. The winner will earn an automatic bid to the 2011 NAIA National Championships, which will be held May 17-21 in Mobile, Ala.
After sweeping all three doubles matches against Baker, McKendree grabbed singles wins at No. 4 and No. 6 to end the contest. Playing at No. 4, sophomore Barnabas Toth (Cegleo, Hungary/Kossuth Lajos) (Cegleo, Hungary) rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 victory. Freshman Luciano Misitrano (Buenos Aires, Argentina/ORT) (Buenos Aires, Argentina) registered the Bearcats' other singles triumph, another 6-0, 6-0 match, at No. 6.
Against Lindenwood, McKendree grabbed victories in two of the three doubles matches. The Bearcats then proceeded to dominate in singles action, winning three of the four matches that were played to completion. Junior Gabor Toth (Cegleo, Hungary/Kossuth Lajos) (Cegleo, Hungary) nabbed a 6-1, 6-2 decision at No. 1 singles. Barnabas Toth (Cegleo, Hungary/Kossuth Lajos) collected his second singles win of the day with a 6-0, 6-1 triumph at No. 4 singles. Luciano Misitrano (Buenos Aires, Argentina/ORT) did the same, posting a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 6 singles.
McKENDREE UNIVERSITY MEN'S TENNIS RESULTS
FRIDAY, APRIL 29 AT SPRINGFIELD, ILL.
AMC/HAAC UNAFFILIATED TOURNAMENT
McKendree University 5, Baker University 0
Singles –
Barnabas Toth (Cegleo, Hungary/Kossuth Lajos) (McK) def. Jordan Toothaker (BU) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles –
Gabor Toth (Cegleo, Hungary/Kossuth Lajos)/
Luciano Misitrano (Buenos Aires, Argentina/ORT) (McK) def. Steve Donley/Casey Gleue (BU) 8-1
Fabio Tsuchiya (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Ateneu)/
Barnabas Toth (Cegleo, Hungary/Kossuth Lajos) (McK) def. Devin Glasgow/Jarrod Altenborg (BU) 8-1
Davi Venditto (Jundiai, Brazil/Divino Salvador)/
Doug Mennerick (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (McK) def. Jordan Toothaker/Will Duncan (BU) 8-0
McKendree University 5, Lindenwood University 2
Singles –
Gabor Toth (Cegleo, Hungary/Kossuth Lajos) (McK) def. Renzo Lau (LU) 6-1, 6-2
Rodrigo Traldi (LU) def.
Paulo Goncalves (Betim, Brazil/Colegio Pitagoras) (McK) 6-1, 6-2
Barnabas Toth (Cegleo, Hungary/Kossuth Lajos) (McK) def. Francisco Quiroz (LU) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles –
Gauthier Schilling/Stephane Dal Soglio (LU) def.
Davi Venditto (Jundiai, Brazil/Divino Salvador)/
Doug Mennerick (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (McK) 8-4
McKendree is 20-2 overall
