Box Score
Photo Gallery
Interview with Tournament MVP Kevin Singer
Belton, TX – The University of Texas at Tyler fell behind after doubles but the Patriots stormed back to win four straight singles matches and the Patriots claimed their fourth straight American Southwest Conference Championship with a 5-2 win over Hardin-Simmons University Sunday afternoon in Belton. U.T.-Tyler also claims the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships with the victory.
U.T.-Tyler took an early lead when Kevin Singer and Kevin Wright posted an 8-3 victory at #3 doubles. The Cowboys battled back to tie the match when Andy Cariens and Emmanuel Navejas notched an 8-5 win at #2 doubles. Erich Bein and Sean Strehlow teamed up to give HSU a 2-1 lead with a 9-7 victory at #1 doubles.
Adam Chirhart would tie the match again when he posted a 6-2, 7-5 victory at #3 singles. The Patriots would then nail down wins at #5 (Singer) and #1 (Joshua Chavez) singles to take a 4-2 lead and Kevin Wright clinched the conference title with a 7-5, 6-4 win at #4 singles.
The Patriots improve to 18-6 on the spring with the victory. U.T.-Tyler will find out its pairing and match date when the NCAA Tournament field is announced Monday, May 9th. The loss ends the season for Hardin-Simmons at 11-9 and also closes out the careers of Cowboy seniors Cariens and Navejas.
U.T.-Tyler's Kevin Singer was named Most Valuable Player of the ASC Tournament. He was joined on the All-Tournament Team by teammates Henrique Bellini, Adam Chirhart and Kevin Wright. The rest of the All-Tournament Team was comprised of Hardin-Simmons' Andy Cariens and Emmanuel Navejas, McMurry University's Chris Bumann and Mississippi College's John Downing.
Results
Singles
Joshua Chavez (UTT) def. Erich Bein (HSU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Henrique Bellini (UTT) vs. Andy Cariens (HSU) 6-4, (6)6-7, 3-1, unfinished
Adam Chirhart (UTT) def. Emmanuel Navejas (HSU) 6-2, 7-5
Kevin Wright (UTT) def. Cullen Dees (HSU) 7-5, 6-4
Kevin Singer (UTT) def. Sean Strehlow (HSU) 6-4, 6-4
Edward Timponi (UTT) vs. Michael McCullough (HSU) 4-6, 6-1, 2-4, unfinished
Doubles
Bein/Strehlow (HSU) def. Chavez/Andrew Reznik (UTT) 9-7
Cariens/Navejas (HSU) def. Bellini/Chirhart (UTT) 8-5
Singer/Wright (UTT) def. McCullough/Tony Record (HSU) 8-3
