BENTONVILLE, Ark. – For the first time in five years, the Ouachita Tigers men's tennis team will not play in the GAC Championship final. The Tigers dropped a closely contested match to East Central University by a final of 5-4 in a match at the Great American Conference Championship on Friday. The loss ends the Tigers tournament championship streak at four straight.

Ouachita carried a 2-1 lead after the doubles matches. Ouachita's #1 duo of Vitor Oliveira and Luis Chab won their match by a final of 9-8 (7-4) to even the match score at 1-1. Maciej Braciszewicz and Jason Mechali got the Tigers second match point with a 9-7 win.

In singles completion, ECU evened the match with a straight set win in the #6 singles spot. Vitor Oliveira and Luis Chab won the next two singles matches in straight sets to give the Tigers a 4-2 advantage, needing only one more point to advance to the finals. Oliveira defeated Sergio Espias, the 2016 GAC Player of the Year, 6-2, 6-2. Chab defeated Erik Eldagsen 6-2, 6-2.

Ouachita would drop the final three singles matches of the day, despite the final two going the full three sets. With the match tied 4-4, David Carbo and Marc Lerch would go into the third set locked up. Carbo took set one, 6-2 but would fall to his ECU opponent 7-5, 6-3 in the final two sets.

The loss was the Tigers first ever in GAC post-season play. Tigers' Head Coach Craig Ward praised the efforts of his team and the quality of their play.

"I couldn't be more proud of a group of guys," Coach Ward said. "There is a huge difference between quitting and losing. Losing is many times out of your control, quitting is something you can control. Credit ECU with playing better than us. But our guys never quit and can hold their heads high."

He added, "We had a great year and I feel privileged to part of this team."
 
The Tigers will now wait to see if they earn an at-large bid to the NCAA regional championships. Ouachita is currently ranked 26^th nationally by the ITA and 5^th in the Central region. 

Tennis Match Results
East Central vs Ouachita Baptist
Apr 22, 2016 at Bentonville, Ark.
(Memorial Park)
 
#38 East Central 5, #26 Ouachita Baptist 4
 
Singles competition
1. #47 Vitor Oliveira (OBU) def. Sergio Espias (ECU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Alex Fillat (ECU) def. Maciej Braciszewicz (OBU) 6-2, 7-5
3. Adria Abella (ECU) def. Lennart Lonnemann (OBU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
4. Luis Chab (OBU) def. Erik Eldagsen (ECU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Marc Lerch (ECU) def. David Carbo (OBU) 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
6. Albert Lapiedra (ECU) def. Jason Mechali (OBU) 6-2, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. #18 Vitor Oliveira/Luis Chab (OBU) def. Adria Abella/Albert Lapiedra (ECU) 9-8 (7-4)
2. Erik Eldagsen/Sergio Espias (ECU) def. Lennart Lonnemann/David Carbo (OBU) 8-6
3. Maciej Braciszewicz/Jason Mechali (OBU) def. Stefan Schodlbauer/Alex Fillat (ECU) 9-7
 
Match Notes:
East Central 9-11, 1-3 GAC; National ranking #38; Regional ranking #8
Ouachita Baptist 12-7, 4-0 GAC; National ranking #26; Regional ranking #5
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,4,1,2,3,5)
Rankings are those of of the ITA...Ouachita is ranked No. 4 in the NCAA Central
Region...ECU advances to GAC Finals to face Southeastern, Saturday April 23
at 10:30 a.m.