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Harry Crokam preparing to serve
2
Pfeiffer University PFU-M (14-6)
4
Winner Methodist University MUMTN (13-6)
Pfeiffer University PFU-M
(14-6)
2
Final
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Methodist University MUMTN
(13-6)
Winner

Match Recap: Men's Tennis | | Michael Spratt

Monarchs Are on to the Finals Following Win Over Pfeiffer

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C.  Following a first-round bye, Methodist University men's tennis, the No. 2 seed, faced Pfeiffer University, the No. 3 seed, in the semifinals of the 2025 USA South Men's Tennis Tournament on Friday morning. This highly anticipated rematch of last year's semifinals match saw the Monarchs get revenge, as they defeated the Falcons 4–2 at the Slick Family Foundation Tennis Center.

JUST THE FACTS
Final scores: Methodist def. Pfeiffer, 4–2
Records: Methodist 13–6; Pfeiffer 14–6
Location: Slick Family Foundation Tennis Center; Rocky Mount, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Methodist claimed a 1–0 match lead in doubles after taking two of the flights. The tandem of Matthew Hurley and Decklan Rayner, at No. 2, was the first doubles flight to finish, as they won 6-1 against Aissultan Mukhambetov and Jayden Wellman.
  • In the top flight, Pfeiffer's Benedikt Pfeiffer and Mathius Dessureau evened the doubles at 1-1 after their victory over Harry Crokam and Wills Belser. It came down to the No. 3 court to determine which team would earn the doubles point, with the Monarch pair of Drew Guarnieri and Cameron Roth triumphing 6-3 against Bogdan Stan and Andres Valdez-Arze, as Guarineri and Roth came back from a 3-2 deficit.
  • Hurley gave Methodist a 2–0 match lead following his 6-2, 6-3 dub at No. 1 singles, playing Pfeiffer. The Falcons then claimed No. 4 and No. 3 singles to tie the match at 2–2. Christian Tihanovich fell 1-6, 3-6 at No. 4 to Mukhambetov before Ethan Carlyle dropped No. 3 to Wellman 4-6, 2-6.
  • Needing a tiebreaker in the first set, Rayner won it 7-6 (7-3) against Valdez-Arze at No. 6 singles. In the second set, Rayner emerged victorious 6-3, giving the Monarchs a 3–2 lead in the overall match. Moments later, Crokam secured a thrilling three-set victory in No. 2 singles to clinch the match for Methodist, defeating Dessureau 6-1, 5-7, 6-3.
  • No. 5 singles between Guarnieri and Bogdan was in the third set (3-3), with Guarnieri winning the first set 6-3 before falling in the second 6-7 (5-7), but went unfinished.
UP NEXT
Methodist advances to the finals for the first time since the 2018-19 season, as the Monarchs play top-seeded, and host, North Carolina Wesleyan University on Saturday, April 26. The match is scheduled for 10 AM.
    
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