ARKADELPHIA, Ark.- Just six days after clinching the Great American Conference Championship, the No. 11 ranked Ouachita Men's Tennis team hosted the No. 15 ranked St. Edwards University Hilltoppers for the NCAA South Regionals on Monday, downing the Hilltoppers by a score of 5-3 and moving on the NCAA Round of 16.

St. Edwards started things off hot in doubles play, taking an early lead over the Tigers, as the No. 14 ranked team of Edward Boone and Eduardo Bencke downed Ouachita's Helge Knuth and Marvin Muller by a score of 8-3. James Rogers and Pedro Bronstrup continued the momentum for the Hilltoppers, taking the second doubles match of the day by a score of 9-8 (7-5) over Ernesto Laborda and Kenny Brasil Brasil. St. Edwards had an opportunity to tie the overall score with the last doubles match of the day, but they were unable to capitalize, as Ouachita's Ramon Abaitua and Marko Boskovic took an 8-6 victory over Alexandre Bueno and Otavio Perim. Ouachita trailed 2-1 heading into singles play.

Ouachita dropped the first singles match of the day, but it was a close one, as Ouachita's Knuth fell to the 30th ranked player in the country, Boone, by a score of 6-3, 6-4. Ouachita's Boskovic, currently ranked 25th in the country, put the Tigers a step closer to a comeback with the second singles match of the day, taking a 7-5, 6-1 victory over St. Edwards' Bencke. Continuing singles play, kept things going for Ouachita, defeating Bronstrup by a score of 6-2, 6-2 and tying the overall score at 3-3.

Beginning the back half of singles play, Muller and the Hilltoppers' Rogers ended up going into a third set, where they were unable to finish as the match was stopped. Abaitua took a victory over St. Edwards' Perim, although not how he had anticipated, as Perim had to retire from the match due to cramps with the score set at 6-7, 3-3. The last singles match of the day ended in another victory for the Tigers, as Teodor Angel captured a victory over Ryan Wiggins by a score of 6-2, 6-3 and ultimately clinched the victory.

With the victory over St. Edwards, Ouachita will move on to the NCAA Championships in Louisville, Kentucky. The championships will take place on May 16-19 and will include the top 16 teams in the country.

-Josh Fink, Sports Information Director