Match Box Score in HTML Format
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- Thanks in large part to a huge match-clinching win by
Joey Manilla in the final pairing, the second-seeded Christopher Newport Captains (16-4) are headed to their fourth straight USA South Championship Match, against top-seeded N.C. Wesleyan. CNU dropped Methodist, 5-4, in a highly competitive match that came down to the final singles match between Manilla and Greg Patterson.
The two teams faced off in Christopher Newport's senior day exactly just six days ago, offering a heightened familiarity to the semifinal showdown. Manilla defeated Patterson last week in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, but found himself trailing the Monarchs' junior on Saturday after a first-set tiebreak.
Patterson pulled out a 7-6 (7-5) win in the opening set, putting CNU in a whole with the match knotted up at four team points each. CNU's junior, though, responded with a 6-4 win and a decided 6-2 win in the third set to end the match and send the Captains into Sunday's final.
The dramatic finish was set up by CNU taking two of three doubles matches, including a sweep win by a pair of freshmen at No. 1.
Chiraag Shetty and
Joona Rahko dropped Duncan Miller and Taylor Buchholz in an 8-0 final to give CNU a 1-0 lead. Methodist evened the score with an 8-6 win at No. 2, but Manilla paired with
Will Sloan for an 8-5 win at No. 3 to give the Captains a 2-1 lead headed into singles play.
The back-and-forth match teetered back to a tie when Miller defeated Shetty at No. 1 singles and the teams split the No. 5 & 6 matchups. Senior
Robbie Wagner made it 4-3 with a 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 4, but the Monarchs again pulled even with a close victory at No. 2 from Buccholz.
CNU will face the top-seeded Battling Bishops (13-7) in Sunday's Championship Match at 10:00 am after the home-town team defeated Piedmont, 9-0, in the semifinals. It will be the fourth striaght year the two have faced off in the league final, with NC Wesleyan winning the previous three. The Bishops have won 32 straight matches against conference foes, including the USA South Tournament, winning four straight conference titles.
