ROME, Georgia – Ouachita's Phil Exner made a run through the ITA Cup singles championship and finished as the runner-up this past weekend at the Rome Tennis Center.

Exner, who was named an ITA All-American last season and finished the year ranked No. 11 nationally in singles, earned an at-large bid into the singles bracket of the ITA Cup this year. He and teammate Ramon Strassmann were the No. 1-seeded doubles team in this year's bracket, but were defeated twice in a row to start before earning a win in consolation over a duo from UT-Tyler on Saturday.

In singles, Exner started with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Asuza Pacific's Elias Walter on Thursday. On Friday, he battled No. 2-seeded Alex Benichou Blanchard of Mississippi College, and pulled off the come-from-behind upset by scores of 3-6, 6-3, and 6-4.

Friday's win set up a semifinals matchup against No. 3-seeded Boruch Skierkier from Valdosta State. Exner again rallied from behind to win 4-6, 6-3, and 6-3.

After taking down the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, Exner was then set to take on No. 1 seed Takeshi Taco, also of Valdosta State, in the finals on Sunday morning. The first set needed extra points with Taco winning 7-6 (7-5). Taco controlled the second set and earned the singles title with a 6-1 score.

Exner and the Tigers wrap up the fall portion of the 2024-25 schedule next weekend at the GAC Fall Championships hosted by Harding in Searcy.