WEST WINDSOR, NJ – After an undefeated conference season and a win over #4 Fairfield in the semifinals, the top-seeded Monmouth University men's tennis team won its second consecutive MAAC Championship on Sunday, defeating #2 Marist by a score of 4-1.

The Hawks clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, and will find out their next opponent during the NCAA Selection Show on Tuesday.

Senior Przemyslaw Filipek clinched the victory for Monmouth at #2 doubles, earning the fourth point for the Hawks after they won the doubles point and two other singles matches. At #1 doubles, Filipek and teammate Ale Gomez Estrada handled the Red Foxes to take the 6-2 win. After senior Christian Vieira and freshman Vikrant Dahiya fell at #3, the doubles point came down to Nicola Pipoli and Alberto Giuffrida, who pulled out the clutch 6-6, 7-3 victory in a tiebreaker.

In the singles portion, Giuffrida was defeated by Marist's Dylan Fletcher at #5, 6-3, 6-0. Pipoli, who was named MAAC Most Outstanding Performer after the match, earned the 6-2, 6-2 win at #1 singles over Marist's Javier Restrepo, who was named MAAC Player of the Year prior to the tournament.

The next match to finish was at #6 singles, where freshman Sergio Martinez took home the 6-4, 6-1 victory to put Monmouth up 3-1. Needing just one more win with three singles matches in progress, Filipek was in the midst of his second set at #2 after winning the first 7-6 (4). The senior led 5-1 at one point, but Marist's Rudolf Kurz came back to make it five games to four. Filipek gave the Hawks their second straight MAAC Championship by winning the next game, eventually taking the 6-4 win in the second set. Estrada was in the midst of a third set at #3 singles before it was deemed unfinished, with the score 7-6, 2-6, 3-5. Vieira's match was also unfinished at #4 singles, as he was leading 7-6, 6-5.

NUMBERS CRUNCH

Monmouth 4, Marist 1

Singles

1.       Pipoli (MON) def. Restrepo (MAR) 6-2, 6-2

2.       Filipek (MON) def. Kurz (MAR) 7-6, 6-4

3.       Gomez Estrada (MON) vs. Massa (MAR) 7-6, 2-6, 5-3 (unfinished)

4.       Vieira (MON) vs. Chanthalangsy (MAR) 7-6, 6-5, (unfinished)

5.       Fletcher (MAR) def. Giuffrida (MON) 6-3, 6-0

6.       Martinez (MON) def. Schouten (MAR) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles

1.       Filipek/Gomez (MON) def. Chanthalangsy/Fletcher (MAR) 6-2

2.       Pipoli/Giuffrida (MON) def. Restrepo/Massa (MAR) 6-6 (7-3)

3.       Kurz/Siracusa (MAR) def. Vieira/Dahiya (MON) 6-2

UP NEXT

The Hawks will find out their next opponent during the NCAA Selection Show, which is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2 at 5:00 PM.