FSU Reaches GLIAC Tourney Title Match
Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's tennis squad advanced to the 2012 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament Championship Match with a semifinal win over Wayne State on Saturday (April 21) evening in Midland, Mich.
The second-seeded Bulldogs topped third-seeded Wayne State 5-2 in the semifinals and will now square off against perennial league power Northwood in the league tournament title showdown on Sunday (April 22) starting at 9 a.m. (ET) at the Midland Community Tennis Center.
FSU trailed the Warriors 2-1 following doubles play, but responded by winning the first four completed singles flights to take the victory. Three of the Bulldogs' four triumphs came in straight-sets in singles play.
In doubles action, the Bulldogs' combination of Laurent Galarneau and Steven Roberts were 8-5 winners at the top flight. However, Wayne State won identical 8-6 decisions at the second and third spots in the tandem lineup.
FSU regrouped to pull out the win as Roberts, Otto Keresztes and Razvan Mag were all victorious in straight-sets in singles competition. Jack Swan also pulled out a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 triumph for the Bulldogs' other singles triumph.
The Bulldogs improved to 15-6 overall with the semifinal win.
Ferris State will take on the number one seed in nationally 13th-ranked Northwood in Sunday's title match. The Timberwolves beat fourth-seeded Grand Valley State 5-2 in the semifinals and were a 5-4 winner over the Bulldogs in league regular-season action earlier this season.
FSU last won the GLIAC Tournament in 1999 and finished as the runner-up to Northwood seven consecutive seasons from 2000-06. The Bulldogs dropped to fifth in 2007 and were fourth in 2008 before moving back up to third each of the last three seasons.
Below are the complete match results:
Ferris State 5, Wayne State Warriors 2
Apr 21, 2012 at Midland, Mich. (MCTC)
Singles competition |
1. Laurent Galarneau (FS) vs. Thomas Ducret (WS) unfinished |
2. Jack Swan (FS) def. Aman Gill (WS) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 |
3. Steven Roberts (FS) def. Michael FitzGerald (WS) 6-2, 6-4 |
4. Otto Keresztes (FS) def. Melvin Joseph (WS) 6-4, 6-2 |
5. Razvan Mag (FS) def. Oscar Gammarra (WS) 6-3, 6-6 |
6. Tyler Marengo (FS) vs. Jason Chen (WS) unfinished |
Doubles competition |
1. Laurent Galarneau/Steven Roberts (FS) def. Aman Gill/Melvin Joseph (WS) 8-5 |
2. Michael FitzGerald/Jason Chen (WS) def. Otto Keresztes/Justin Hermes (FS) 8-6 |
3. Thomas Ducret/Oscar Gammarra (WS) def. Jack Swan/Tyler Marengo (FS) 8-6 |