GEORGETOWN, Texas -- The second-seed and eighth-ranked Trinity University swept third-seeded Colorado College, 5-0, in semifinal action of the Southern College Athletic Conference Men's Tennis Championship Saturday morning at the Marvin D. Henderson Sr. Tennis Courts on the campus of Southwestern University. Official Website l Postmatch Interview | Photo Album
Trinity improved to 15-5 and will face off against the winner of this afternoon's second semifinal against Southwestern University and University of St. Thomas in tomorrow's championship match at 10 a.m. This will be Trinity's 31st consecutive trip to the SCAC men's tennis finals and the Tigers are 25-4 in those previous appearances (the 1997 final was not played due to inclement weather). Trinity has won 12 consecutive SCAC men's tennis championships.
Colorado College falls to 8-12 and will await the loser of today's second semifinal match in tomorrow's third place match. That contest is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Round Rock High School.
In Saturday morning's semifinal battle of Tigers, which was played in sunny but windy conditions as players had to contend with wind gusts up to 20 mph, Alessio Azzalini and Rafa Candelas Ruiz got the Texas Tigers on the board quickly with an 8-1 decision at the No. 2 line. Robert Chang and Dalton Locke and Hao Nguyen and Eric Liao followed at No. 3 and No. 1, respectively, with both producing 8-4 wins and giving Trinity the 3-0 doubles sweep.
Needing just two points to clinch, Liao put the TU Tigers on the doorstep with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over CC's Nate Beerman at No. 3 singles and Ruiz provided the clincher at No. 5 with his 6-1, 6-4 victory over Jack Delafield.
#8 TRINITY UNIVERSITY 5, COLORADO COLLEGE 0
April 29, 2023 at Georgetown, Texas (Marvin D. Henderson Sr. Tennis Courts)
| Singles competition |
| 1. Hao Nguyen (TU) vs. Aiden Little (COLO) 6-2, 4-2, unfinished |
| 2. Alessio Azzalini (TU) vs. Lucas Pastor (COLO) 6-2, 3-4, unfinished |
| 3. Eric Liao (TU) def. Nate Beerman (COLO) 6-2, 6-2 |
| 4. Connor Whittington (TU) vs. Andrew Kaelin (COLO) 6-7, 1-0, unfinished |
| 5. Rafa Candelas Ruiz (TU) def. Jack Delafield (COLO) 6-1, 6-4 |
| 6. Robert Chang (TU) vs. James Andrews (COLO) 6-1, 4-4, unfinished |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Hao Nguyen/Eric Liao (TU) def. Andrew Kaelin/Nate Beerman (COLO) 8-4 |
| 2. Alessio Azzalini/Rafa Candelas Ruiz (TU) def. Aiden Little/Lucas Pastor (COLO) 8-1 |
| 3. Robert Chang/Dalton Locke (TU) def. Nick Bishop/Jack Delafield (COLO) 8-4 |
| Match Notes |
| Colorado College 8-12; Regional ranking #15 |
| Trinity University 15-5; National ranking #8; Regional ranking #2 |
| Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (3,5) |
UP NEXT
Trinity will face off in tomorrow's championship match against the winner of this afternoon's second semifinal against Southwestern University and University of St. Thomas. This will be Trinity's 31st consecutive trip to the SCAC men's tennis finals and the Tigers are 25-4 in those previous appearances (the 1997 final was not played due to inclement weather). Trinity has won 12 consecutive SCAC men's tennis championships.
