EDWARDSVILLE, IL – The Principa Men's Tennis team earned their first ever UMAC South Championship on Friday after an intense battle with Greenville in the finals. The UMAC South Tournament is essentially what the SLIAC Tournament used to be prior to tennis changing conferences before last season, so Greenville came in having won the last two titles. Principia's last SLIAC Championship came in 2021, but this year's team still needs to win the UMAC Championship Tourament next weekend to return to Nationals.
Before the Greenville match, Principia first had to take on the #4 seed Westminster College in the semifinals. Due to rainy weather, Friday's matches were forced indoors with the Panthers semifinal match taking place at home in Hexberg. The tournament matches are played to decision, so the Panthers dispatched the Blue Jays in a quick 5-0 match before traveling to YMCA Meyer Center in Edwardsville for the finals.
The first time Principia faced Greenville this season, it was beautiful conditions outdoors at Greenville, and Principia came away with a tough 7-2 victory. However, the Panthers came in ready for another grueling fight knowing that playing indoors this time would be a completely different kind of tennis. Principia had swept all three doubles in their first matchup, but Greenville's top pair came to play and won #1 doubles 8-2 this time for a big point. Principia still had a 2-1 lead heading into singles after taking #2 doubles 8-4 and #3 doubles 8-2.
With a slimmer margin for error, the first four singles matches began with passion and determination on both sides.
Nacho Cachaza was the first to finish with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 win at #2 singles to put Principia up 3-1. After losing #1 singles in their last meeting, Greenville's Andres Sanchez defeated Jesus Soto Bossa 6-4, 6-4 this time around to close to gap to 3-2.
Ernesto Botero lost his first set 6-1 at #3 singles, but he turned things around to take the next two sets 6-3, 6-0 to put Principia one point away from the title.
Ignacio Zamora split his first two sets at #4 singles and was locked in a back-and-forth battle in the third set when
Rafter Sprague began his match at #5 singles. Zamora had lost his singles match to Greenville earlier this season, and was determined to reverse his fate and claim Principia's final point. Tied at 5-5, Zamora won the next two games clinch the championship as his teammates sprinted onto the court and mobbed him to celebrate the team's victory.
Principia's 5-2 win locks up the #1 South seed in the UMAC Final Four Tournament, and the team is geared toward winning with the knowledge they may need to face Greenville for a third time.
Up Next: In the conference semifinals next Friday at 4:00 pm, Principia will play Northwestern (MN). If the Panthers win, they will play the winner of Wisconsin-Superior and Greenville on Saturday with a spot in the NCAA Tournament on the line. The matches will be played at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park, with Forest Lake Tennis Club in Chesterfield being the backup indoor location in case of rain.
