ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- The second-ranked and third-seeded Barry Buccaneers swept the sixth-ranked and seventh-seeded Flagler Saints 4-0 at the 2022 NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Championship at Sanlando Park on Saturday to advance to the finals.

The Bucs, who have won the last two national championships, are making their 13th appearance in the national championship match, an NCAA record.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: No. 2 Barry 4, No. 6 Flagler 0
Records: Barry (21-5), Flagler (20-6)
Series: Barry leads 21-1

SUMMARY:

Doubles

1. #17 Oscar Del Granado/Philipp Lemken (FLG) def. #19 Ignasi Forcano/Martin Gutierrez (BU) 6-4 
2. #21 Alejandro Ibañez Gallego/Arnau Rodriguez (BU) def. Nikita Tatyanin/Cedric Holzmann (FLG) 6-4 
3.  Alessandro Giuliato/Hugo Cazaban (BU) def. Jacopo Denitto/Petr Cervinka (FLG) 7-6 (7-5)

Singles

1. #7 Alejandro Palacios (BU) vs. #40 Oscar Del Granado (FLG) 6-3 ,2-3, unfinished
2. #13 Alejandro Ibañez Gallego (BU) vs. #37 Nikita Tatyanin (FLG) 7-5, 3-0, unifinished
3. Ignasi Forcano (BU) def. Petr Cervinka (FLG) 6-0, 6-3
4. #73 Arnau Rodriguez (BU) vs. Philipp Lemken (FLG) 6-4, 5-0, unfinished
5. Hugo Cazaban (BU) def. Jacopo Denitto (FLG) 6-3, 6-2
6. Martin Gutierrez (BU) def. Diego Amilibia (FLG) 6-2, 6-2

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Barry's Rodriguez and Gallego, the 21^st-ranked pair, made short work of Gerweck and Franca 6-4 at number two doubles. 
• But 17^th-ranked, Del Granado and Lemken edged #19 Forcano and Gutierrez 6-4 at number one
• It all came down to number three, as Cazaban and Giuliato clinched the doubles point for the Bucs with a 7-6 (7-5) victory over Denitto and Cervinka.
• In singles, the Bucs won the first sets of all six flights, despite Guiliato being pulled from the third flight.
• Forcano made a quick job over Cervinka 6-0, 6-3 at number three.
• Cazaban, made it 3-0 with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Denitto at number five.
• Gutierrez, clinched the match with a 6-2, 6-2 over Amilibia at number six.
• The other matches went unfinished.

NOTEWORTHY: 

• For Barry, it is their fifth in a row and the 13th time overall to advance to the NCAA finals. The 13 appearances in the championship match are an NCAA record, extending their own mark. Lander is second with eight, while West Florida and Hawai'i Pacific each have six.
• Barry has won five national championships, including the last two in a row, and has 27 tournament appearances. The Bucs are currently fourth all-time in championships (Lander - 8; Southern Illinois-Edwardsville - 7, UC - Irvine - 6 [all of Irvine's titles came before match play started in 1983]).
• Forcano leads the Bucs with 19 singles wins this season, followed by Rodgiuez (13) and Palacios (12).
• It was the second time that the Bucs and Saints had met on the courts this year, with Barry claiming another victory of 4-3 on Mar. 26.
• Barry lost their first match to the Saints in 1994, but have since won 21 in a row.
• Former Barry University All-American Thomas Hipp coached the Flagler men's tennis team for seven years before coming to Barry this season.

ON THE HORIZON

The Bucs will take on the No. 10 Wayne State (MI) in the finals of the NCAA DII Championship match on Sunday, May 22. The Warriors upset first-seeded Columbus State 4-3 in the semifinals.