The Georgia Gwinnett College men's tennis team is back in familiar territory, reaching its fifth NAIA Tennis National Championship match after earning a pair of 5-0 victories Friday, May 18, at the Mobile Tennis Center. The Grizzlies will play for the program's fifth national title Saturday, May 19.
GGC (26-0) defeated No. 9-seeded William Woods University (Mo.) in the morning quarterfinal match. Then, under the lights, the team eliminated No. 4-seeded Xavier University (La.). Both victories came through decisive 5-0 scores.
Georgia Gwinnett College defeated Xavier to win the last two NAIA national championship matches.
The Grizzlies wasted little time in grabbing positive momentum against Xavier, winning all three doubles matches in convincing fashion. The senior tandem of Kevin Konfederak and Gilad Berman won 8-4 at No. 1 doubles for the first point of the match. Then, junior Ayed Zatar and freshman Valentino Caratini picked up an 8-3 victory on the No. 3 court.
Junior Rafael Coutinho and sophomore Federico Herrera Duran completed GGC's doubles sweep with an 8-4 win on the No. 2 court.
In singles, Konfederak registered a triumph on the No. 1 court just seconds before Coutinho clinched the team victory with a triumph at No. 3 singles.
The victory against William Woods was the Grizzlies' 80th consecutive win. The team once again took an early lead in doubles with dominant victories at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles.
Zatar and Caratini won eight of nine games on the No. 3 court. Moments later, junior Coutinho and Herrera Duran picked up an 8-2 victory at No. 2 doubles.
The senior tandem of Berman and Konfederak won the last three games from the Owls to complete the doubles sweep, winning 8-5 on the No. 1 court.
In singles, GGC won the first set on five of the six courts. Berman earned a straight-set triumph at No. 2 singles, winning 6-1, 6-0. Then, seconds later Caratini wrapped up the match with a 6-1, 6-1 victory on the No. 6 court.
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College will play for its fifth consecutive NAIA national championship when it faces No. 2-seeded Keiser University (Fla.) Saturday, May 19, from the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.
