Mobile, Alabama — William Carey’s men’s tennis team claimed its sixth SSAC Tournament title with a 4-0 victory over Loyola (New Orleans) on Saturday. The Crusaders, ranked sixth in the NAIA Top 25, advanced after defeating Abraham Baldwin in the semifinals.
The Crusaders, the top seed, faced Loyola, the second seed and reigning regular-season champions, for the second time in just over a week. Carey had previously beaten Loyola 7-0 to clinch the regular-season crown.
In Saturday’s final, Carey secured the doubles point with wins in the first and third doubles matches. Vinh Nguyen and Jean Nicolas Leblanc won 6-3, while Simon Muntwyler and Artur Ibragimov also won 6-3. Islam Orynbassar and Phil Louis Steinbichler led their doubles set when the clinch was made.
The Crusaders swept the singles matches in slots four through six to clinch the title. Ibragimov defeated his opponent 6-2, 6-3; Muntwyler won 6-4, 6-0; and Steinbichler finished with a 6-4, 6-1 victory. Nguyen was leading 7-5, 4-1, and Leblanc was ahead 6-2, 1-6, 4-1 when the match was clinched.
William Carey, now 12-0, will await its next opponent at the NAIA National Championship in Mobile. The selection show is scheduled for April 28, with the tournament set for May 12-16.
