Tweet #theGAC  BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Southeastern Oklahoma State claimed its first GAC Men’s Tennis Championship title after the Savage Storm withstood East Central’s valiant rally, 5-4, on Saturday at Memorial Park Tennis Complex.
 
In a classic matchup between the two rivals, Southeastern Oklahoma State, ranked No. 5 NCAA Division II Central Region and No. 24 in the ITA national rankings, recorded wins at all three doubles positions to grab control of the contest.
 
The tandem of Maskim Fil and Tiago Ferriera defeated East Central’s Adria Abella and Albert Lapiedra, 8-4, to give the Savage Storm their first point. Southeastern’s Mislav Colak and Petar Popovic increased the lead by defeating ECU’s duo of Alex Fillat and Stefan Schodlbauer, 8-3, at the No. 3 position. Netanel Alcabas and Alberto Blesa secured the final doubles point by giving the Tigers duo of Erik Eldagsen and Serio Espias their first loss in doubles on the year, an 8-5 defeat.
 
Eldagsen gave the Tigers life with a 6-1, 6-1 win against Jack Gibbens in the No. 4 singles position. Ferreira answered for Southeastern Oklahoma State, by defeating Lapiedra 6-2, 6-2 in the No. 6 singles spot.  
 
Down 4-1, East Central started to rally. Abella started the comeback by defeating Blesa, 6-3, 6-2, at the No. 3 singles position. Espias, the GAC Player of the Year, lost the first set, but won the next two to take down Fil at No. 1 singles, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. At No. 2, Fillat also rallied from dropping the opening set. He won the final two sets to take down Alcabas, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, to tie up the match.
 
Colak took the first set against Lerch, 6-2, but fell in the next set, 6-3. Colak secured Southeastern Oklahoma State’s championship-victory with a 7-5 win in the decisive set.
 
Southeastern Oklahoma State will learn of its postseason opponent during the NCAA.com selection show. The selection show will air online at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.