Richmond Knocks Off Dayton, Advances to A-10 Championship Final

Saturday, May 1

Orlando, Fla. (USTA National Campus)

10:30 AM

University of Richmond

#2 Dayton (A-10 Semifinal)

Richmond Knocks Off Dayton, Advances to A-10 Championship Final

05/01/2021 | Men's Tennis

ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Richmond men's tennis team won the doubles point and took three of four singles matches to upset second-seeded Dayton, 4-1, Saturday afternoon at the USTA National Campus.

With Richmond leading 3-1, junior John Walsh (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) clinched the match in a third set thriller against Matt DeMarco, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 at No. 4 singles. With the victory, Richmond advances to the A-10 finals against crosstown rival VCU.

The Spiders (8-8, 3-1 A-10) started the match with another classic doubles point winning a tiebreaker at No. 1 doubles, 7-6, (7-5) to clinch the doubles point. Freshman Daniel Kliebhan (Newtown, Pa.) and junior Josh Keitelman (Chevy Chase, Md.) forced a tiebreaker against at 6-6 and Keitelman dialed up a winner off his serve to clinch the point at 7-5 in the tiebreaker against Connor Bruce and Max DeCurtins.

Junior John Walsh (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) and junior Campbell Erwin (San Antonio, Texas) earned a 6-3 win against Matt DeMarco and Steven Karl at No. 2 doubles.

Senior Matt Fernandez (Richmond, Va.) and junior Alex Wernink (Glen Cove, N.Y.) fell just short in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-4) against Georgi Mavrodiev and Joe DeMarco at No. 3 doubles.

In singles, all six courts went to a deciding third set to settle the semifinal matchup. Fernandez fell short against Bruce, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 singles to tie the match at 1-1.

Kliebhan gave Richmond a 2-1 lead after earning a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win against Steven Karl at No. 2 singles. Keitelman pushed the lead to 3-1 after a marathon match against Will Harper, 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (8-6). In the tiebreaker, Keitelman was trailing 5-6 before winning three-straight points to win the match.

Two matches went unfinished as Wernink was leading in the third set against Georgi Mavrodiev, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 3-1. Erwin was tied in the third set against Erik Elliasson, 6-4, 4-6, 5-5 at No. 5 singles.

The Spiders will face top-seeded VCU in the A-10 Championship final on Sunday, May 2 at 10 a.m. at the USTA National Campus.

For more information about the Richmond men's tennis team visit RichmondSpiders.com or follow us on twitter at spidermten.

Richmond 4, Dayton 1
Singles competition
1. Connor Bruce (UD) def. Matt Fernandez (UR), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
2. Daniel Kliebhan (UR) def. Steven Karl (UD), 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
3. Alex Wernink (UR) vs. Georgi Mavrodiev (UD), 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 3-1 unfinished
4. John Walsh (UR) def. Matt DeMarco (UD), 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
5. Erik Eliasson (UD) vs. Campbell Erwin (UR), 6-4, 4-6, 5-5 unfinished
6. Josh Keitelman (UR) def. Will Harper (UD), 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (8-6)
Order of finish: 2,1, 6,4

Doubles competition
1. Daniel Kliebhan/Josh Keitelman (UR) def. Connor Bruce/Max DeCurtins (UD), 7-6 (7-5)
2. Campbell Erwin/John Walsh (UR) def. Matt DeMarco/Steven Karl (UD), 6-3
3. Georgi Mavrodiev/Joe DeMarco (UD) def. Alex Wernink/Matt Fernandez (UR), 7-6 (7-4)
Order of finish: 2,3,1

-UR-