The men’s tennis team played in its final conference match of the season against Texas A&M Corpus Christi Wednesday and was able to finish in a three-way tie for the Southland title as they won 4-3.
The Islanders helped the Wildcats secure a share of the title when they defeated Lamar 6-1 on Friday giving each of the three schools a 4-1 Southland record.
Sophomore Josh Sheehy said he was happy to see his team’s hard work pay off.
“Taking the conference title feels incredible,” Sheehy said. “I knew our team was capable of winning but I never imagined the success coming this early. Everyone has worked hard for the last 5 months and it’s awesome to see it pay off.”
Against Corpus Christi, the men lost the doubles point as senior Nico Agritelley and junior Henry Adams lost 7-6, Josh Sheehy and freshman Jonathan Sheehy lost 6-3, and junior Paul Domanski and sophomore Cole Lawson’s match went unfinished.
This would mean the men would have to win four of their six singles matches to get the win, and they did exactly that.
Josh Sheehy was able to win his match in the No. 1 spot 7-5, 6-4 and his brother Jonathan also won at the No. 2 spot 7-5, 7-6. Agritelley then evened up the score with a 6-4, 6-4 win in the No. 3 spot with the Wildcats only needing one more win.
In the last match of the day, sophomore Sebastian Langdon came through to get a 7-5, 7-6 (8-6) win to secure the team victory.
“It felt amazing and I was ecstatic all day and night,” Langdon said. “It’s just crazy it came down to my match and it was that close of a match. It feels so good to finish our season with a win, and it being a conference match makes it even that much sweeter.”
The women were also in action playing its final two conference matches against Corpus Christi Wednesday, losing 4-3, and Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, winning 7-0.
With their win on Saturday the women were able to finish in a three-way tie for second with Central Arkansas and Lamar, all having an 8-3 record in Southland play.
Against Corpus Christi, the women were impressive in doubles getting victories from juniors Whitney Williams and Lucile Pothier, winning 6-2, and senior Erin Walker and freshman Sarah Adams, winning 6-1. Sophomore Jordan Henry and freshman Autumn Crossnoe’s match went unfinished.
The women could only manage two victories in singles, however, from Pothier who won 6-3, 6-3, and Williams who won 6-0, 6-2.
Against SFA, Walker, Pothier, Williams, Adams, Henry, and Crossnoe all picked up singles victories.
The women also won two of three doubles matches as Williams and Pothier winning 6-3 and Adams and Walker winning 7-5. Henry and Crossnoe lost in a close match 7-5.
As a result of her play Wednesday and Saturday, Pothier earned her second straight Southland Conference Player of the Week award.
Because ACU is still ineligible to compete in the Southland Conference tournament, the men and women will end the season in Ojai, California against some of the nation’s toughest competition. Last year both the men’s and women’s teams came away with doubles championships, but the competition is expected to be tougher this year.
