Pioneers Win Second Consecutive Summit League Title

Sunday, April 26

Fort Wayne, Ind.

All Day

University of Denver

IPFW

Pioneers Win Second Consecutive Summit League Title

4/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis

April 26, 2015

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The No. 51 University of Denver men's tennis team (18-8, 6-0 Summit League) earned their second consecutive Summit League Championship title Sunday morning at the Dr. Rudy and Rhonda Kachmann Tennis Center. The Pioneers defeated the Fort Wayne Mastodons (16-12), 4-0.

The Pioneers took an early lead by earning the doubles point behind wins from junior David Fox and freshman Jesse Ruder-Hook on court three and sophomores Diogo Rocha and Yannik James on court two.

"We are really happy with how the guys played and competed all weekend," said Assistant Coach Drew Eberly. "I'm really proud of their effort and can't wait to see what we can do in the NCAA's."

With the lead at, 1-0 sophomore Alex Gasson defeated Carlos do Val, 6-0, 6-1 to earn the second point for the Pioneers. Denver won or led every set on courts 1-4. No. 113 and Summit League Player of the Year junior Henry Craig defeated Gerard Guell, 6-3, 6-2 to push the score to, 3-0. No. 109 Rocha clinched the Championship point for Denver with a, 6-3, 6-3 win on court two.

Denver is the first team since 2012, and only the second since 2001, to win The Summit League Championship without yielding a tournament point. The Pioneers are only the second team in Summit League history to win the league title in each of its first two years of membership (also Northern Illinois, 1991-92).

Denver will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The bracket will be revealed Tuesday at 3 p.m. MT.

Doubles competition
1. #40 CRAIG, Henry/GASSON, Alex (MDEN) vs. Gerard Guell/Martin Muadi (IPFW) 6-5, unfinished
2. ROCHA, Diogo/JAMES, Yannik (MDEN) def. Andres Cobos/Daniel Cardenas (IPFW) 8-4
3. FOX, David/RUDER-HOOK, JESSE (MDEN) def. Connor Andrews/Derek Romer (IPFW) 8-3

Singles competition
1. #113 Craig, Henry (MDEN) def. Gerard Guell (IPFW) 6-3, 6-2
2. #109 Rocha, Diogo (MDEN) def. Andres Cobos (IPFW) 6-3, 6-3
3. Gasson, Alex (MDEN) def. Carlos do Val (IPFW) 6-0, 6-1
4. Fox, David (MDEN) vs. Daniel Cardenas (IPFW) 6-4, 5-2, unfinished
5. James, Yannik (MDEN) vs. Martin Muadi (IPFW) 6-4, 3-4, unfinished
6. Lovera, Wyatt (MDEN) vs. Karl Wangensten-Oye (IPFW) 6-4, 2-4, unfinished

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,1,2)