SAINT LEO, Fla. -- The third-ranked and third-seeded Barry Buccaneers powered to a 4-2 win over No. 1 ranked and second-seeded Saint Leo on Friday, at the Saint Leo Tennis Center in the NCAA Division II South Region championship match. The Bucs now have a chance to win their fourth-straight national title.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: No. 3 Barry 4, No. 1 Saint Leo 2
Records: Barry (21-5), Saint Leo (23-3)
Series: Barry leads 43-3
SUMMARY:
Doubles
- #31 Martin Soukal/Vincent Thiel (SL) def. #10 Alejandro Ibañez Gallego/Arnau Rodriguez (BU) 6-3
- Tao Bernal Castillo/Ivan Marrero (SL) def. Alejandro Palacios/Alessandro Giuliato (BU) 6-2
- Alessio Demichelis/Tim Büttner (BU) vs. Nicolas Bacella/Luis Iriarte (SL) 4-5
Singles
- #32 Alejandro Ibañez Gallego (BU) vs. #20 Martin Soukal 6-3, 4-6, unf.
- #27 Alejandro Palacios (BU) def. #28 Vincent Thiel (SL) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
- . #56 Alessandro Giuliato (BU) vs. Nicolas Bacella (SL) 6-4, 7-6(4)
- Luis Iriarte (SL) def. Arnau Rodriguez (BU) 6-3, 6-4
- Alessio Demichelis (BU) def. #51 Tao Bernal Castillo 6-2, 6-2
- Tim Büttner (BU) def. Ghali Mensour (SL) 6-3, 6-3
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Lions broke out on top quickly, earning the doubles point, as Soukal and Thiel knocked out Ibañez Gallego and Rodriguez 6-3 at number one. Castillo and Merrero defeated Palacios and Giuliato 6-2 at number two.
- The Bucs came out strong in singles, winning four of six first sets.
- Palacios got the Bucs on the board. He lost the first set and stormed back to capture the last two sets 6-3. 6-2. Bucs knotted match at 1-1.
- Giuliato put the Bucs on top 2-1, by defeating Bacella in straight-sets 6-4, 7-6(4).
- The Lions tied the match at 2-2 when Iriarte defeated Rodriguez in straight-sets 6-3, 6-4 on number 4.
- Both Demichelis and Büttner took care of business, winning in straight-sets on numbers 5 and 6, Büttner clinched the match for the Bucs at number 6.
NOTEWORTHY:
- For Barry, it is their 18th South Regional championship and the 24th time that they have advanced to the NCAA Division II finals.
- The Finals are May 11-15 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
- The Bucs defeated the No.1 ranked Lions twice this season, with first win coming a week ago in the SSC Tournament Championship.
- Barry has won six national championships, including the last three in a row.
ON THE HORIZON
The Bucs advance to the NCAA Division II National Finals. Opponents for the finals will be re-seeded by the Tennis National Committee.