PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. – The 70th-ranked Old Dominion men's team earned their first Sun Belt Conference title Saturday afternoon with a 4-2 win over 63rd-ranked South Alabama at the Peachtree City Tennis Complex.
The tournament title is their first since 2018 as Old Dominion will learn its opponent for the NCAA Tournament on May 1 at 6:30 p.m. during an online bracket announcement on ncaa.com. ODU has won its last seven matches and 10 of their last 11.
"This group deserved it more than anybody I have ever coached. They went through so much last year and to have Luca (Maldoner) clinch it is a Hollywood story," said ODU Head Coach Dominik Mueller.
In doubles, the Monarchs earned the team point after wins at lines one and three. At the top, Younes Lalami and Brandon Perez took a 6-2 win over Jack Clements and Maxime St-Hilaire. The point was clinched by Francois Le Tallec and Cosme Rolland De Ravel with a 6-3 win at line three over Louis Delcour and Javier Montoya.
Jakob Cadonau put the Monarchs on the board in singles with a 6-3, 6-3 win at line four over Jack Clements to give ODU (18-9) a 2-0 lead. South Alabama got on the board at line one, then
Rolland De Ravel won 6-3, 6-2 at line three over Louis Delcour for a 3-1 ODU lead.
South Alabama pulled to 3-2 after a win at line six, then Maldoner locked it up with a come-from-behind 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 win over Martin Bujai for the Sun Belt championship.
"We came out on a mission, playing high intensity doubles from the start and that set the tone," said Mueller. "After that it was the close match I expected and I am so glad for our guys that they finished it."
#70 Old Dominion 4, #63 South Alabama 2
Peachtree City Tennis Center
Peachtree City, Ga.
Singles
Sebastien Collard (USA) def. Younes Lalami (ODU) 6-2, 6-4
Francois Le Tallec (ODU) v. Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) 7-5, 5-7, unfinished
Cosme Rolland De Ravel (ODU) def. Louis Delcour (USA) 6-3, 6-2
Jakob Cadonau (ODU) def. Jack Clements (USA) 6-3, 6-3
Luca Maldoner (ODU) def. Martin Bujai 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
Javier Montoya (USA) def. Nicola Vidal (ODU) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
Younes Lalami/Brandon Perez (ODU) def. Jack Clements/Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) 6-2
Sebastien Collard/Martin Burjau (USA) v. Luca Maldoner/Jakob Cadonau (ODU) 5-4 unfinished
Francois Le Tallec/Cosme Rolland De Ravel (ODU) def. Louis Delcour/Javier Montoya (USA) 6-3
Records: ODU 18-9
Men's Tennis Captures Sun Belt Crown With 4-2 Win Over South Alabama
