Flagler College men's tennis team comes up short in NCAA Division II final against Valdosta
Valdosta State won both one-set doubles matches to snap a 3-3 tie in singles and defeated Flagler College 4-3 on Saturday in the NCAA Division II men's tennis championship match at the Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs.
Top-seeded Flagler (22-3) was seeking its first national championship since capturing the second of its two NAIA titles in 1986. The Saints' best national tournament finish since moving to Division II in 2009 was reaching the final four in 2022.
It was the first time in the school's Division II era that a team reached a national championship final.
Flagler's Jacopo Denitto, Philipp Lemken and Ilian Borlee won singles matches to give the Saints a 3-2 lead but Christian Wedel of Valdosta (26-3) tied the score when he defeated Aly El Farie 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 at No. 6 singles.
The Blazers' Takeshi Taco-Xaveam Van Wijk beat Borlee and Baptiste Mercier 6-2 and Jan Skerbatis-Boruch Skierkier topped Denitto and Makary Adamek 6-2 to earn the doubles point.
“It was a tough way to end what has been a great year,” Flagler coach Jonas Piibor told the school's communications department. "But I give full credit to Valdosta State. They played really well."
Flagler finished third in the ITA Indoor Championship and won the Peach Belt regular season and tournament titles.
"For this team to finish third at the ITA Indoor Championship, winning the Peach Belt Conference regular and post-season titles, and playing in the national title match is special," Piibor said. "[Assistant coach] Brian Washburn and I believe that if you work hard and smart, you can achieve better, and the team bought into that mindset and have been resilient all year.”
NCAA Division II National final tennis results
Singles
Jacopo Denitto (F) d. Luca Mack (V) 7-5, 6-4.
Takeshi Taco (V) d. Simon Masis (F) 6-0, 6-4.
Philipp Lemken (F) d. Jerome Iaconi (V) 6-1, 6-3.
Boruch Skierkier (V) d. Baptise Mercier (F) 6-2, 6-3.
Ilian Borlee (F) d. Rodrigo Carvalho (V) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.
Christian Wedel (V) d. Aly El Farie (F) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Doubles
Takeshi Taco-Xaveam Van Wijk (V) d. Ilian Borlee-Baptiste Mercier (F) 6-2.
Jan Skerbatis-Boruch Skierkier (V) d. Makary Adamek-Jacopo Denitto (F) 6-2.
Rodrigo Carvalho-Luca Mack (V) led Philipp Lemken-Simons Malis (F) 5-3, unfinished.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Valdosta sweeps doubles matches to edge Flagler in NCAA Division II final
