MOBILE, Ala. (May 16, 2023) - A six-hour rain delay did not change the course to a determined St. Thomas University (STU) Men's Tennis Team. The Bobcats took down Grace College, 4-2, for the second time this year and now advance to the round of 16 for the first time since 2011.

This marks just the second time the program has won a national tournament game. 

Doubles play feel in favor to the Lancers who took the 1-0 match lead. Luis Yanine and Max Rozas fell 2-6 on court one while Raul Safont Martínez and Bernardo Tajada fell 2-6 as well on court two. 

Grace would take a 2-0 match lead with a win at line four as Jakub Federowicz dropped in straight sets 1-6, 2-6. 

Rozas picked up the first match point for St. Thomas with a win at five in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. Tajada tied the match with a 6-3, 7-5 victory on court three. 

It all came down to the final four courts, Safont Martínez battled a fierce line one matchup but ultimately took it 6-4, 7-5. This would make it 3-2 STU with just needing to win one more court to clinch the match.

The two left standing was Carlos Vidal who was up a set on court two and Oliver Andersson who was entering his third set. Vidal fell in the second set 4-6 to force a winner take all third set as Grace tried to keep their season alive. 

Andersson, however, had different plans for the night. In almost a three hour singles match, the graduate transfer refueled the tank and battled back down 5-0 in set three to comeback and win the tiebreaker 7-3. This clinched the match for the Bobcats.

Vidal's court would be the only abandoned one as it was tied 3-3 in the third set.

St. Thomas now advances to place the no. 2 seed and reigning national champions, Georgia Gwinnett on Wednesday, May 17 at 1 p.m. central time.

-STU-