DePaul Advances to BIG EAST Semifinals

Friday, April 19

Cayce, S.C.

8:00 A.M. CT

DePaul University

Villanova

4/19/2024 3:30:00 PM | MEN'S TENNIS

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Blue Demons overpower Villanova 4-0 in First Round

CAYCE, S.C. – DePaul men's tennis knocked off No. 7 Villanova in a 4-0 decision on Friday afternoon to kick off the BIG EAST Championships. The No. 2 seed Blue Demons (12-9, 4-1 BIG EAST) return to the Semifinals for the first time since their 2022 BIG EAST title win.

With the commanding 4-0 sweep over Villanova, DePaul extends its winning streak to five against the Wildcats, dating back to 2013. The victory not only contributed to the Blue Demons' win streak of three matches but also cemented their highest winning percentage of the season thus far.

The morning began with DePaul seizing an early advantage, claiming the doubles point in just twenty minutes.

Vito Tonejc and Matteo Iaquinto grabbed a quick 6-2 victory at No. 3 over Villanova's Noah Winton/Eitan Khromchenko, marking their first doubles victory together this season.

At No. 2, Leon Huck and Sven Moser continued their dominance, clinching the doubles point with a decisive 6-2 win over Joshua Robinson/Cooper Gordon. This victory extends the duo's streak to seven consecutive wins, elevating their match record to 12-2.

The Blue Demons maintained their striking performance in singles play, with Sven Moser triumphing over Justin Frettarelli at No. 6 in a 6-2, 6-3 decision.

Approximately one hour and forty-five minutes into the match, play was suspended due to inclement weather. It was later announced that action would not resume until 2 p.m. CT to allow the outdoor courts to dry. After a delay of roughly four hours and fifteen minutes, the Blue Demons returned to the court and swiftly clinched victory after just seventeenth minutes of play.

At the No. 2 singles spot, Verma picked up right where he left off, securing his fourth straight victory by defeating William Monahan, 6-2, 6-4, further extending the Blue Demon lead.

In another match-clinching outing, Pablo Torres Almeida put on a clutch performance to take down Thomas Wakefield by a score of 6-3, 7-5. The victory marked Torres Almeida's eighth consecutive win and helped propel DePaul to the next round of the BIG EAST Championships.

The 4-0 sweep against Villanova represents DePaul's second such victory of the season, echoing their dominant 7-0 performance against Butler on April 6.

UP NEXT
The No. 2 seed Blue Demons (12-9) move on to the Seminfinals Round when they face No. 3 seed Georgetown (15-7), with first serve set for 11:45 a.m. CT on Saturday, April 20, at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center.

Live Results: To follow BIG EAST Tournament action all weekend, click here.

FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Men's Tennis, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on Twitter and Instagram.

BIG EAST Quarterfinals
Final Results
DePaul 4, Villanova 0
April 19, 2024
Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center
Cayce, S.C.

Singles
1. Vito Tonejc (DPU) vs. Joshua Robinson (NOVA) 7-6(4), 5-3, uf.
2. Shourya Verma (DPU) def. William Monahan (NOVA) 6-2, 6-4
3. Eitan Khromchenko (NOVA) vs. Matteo Iaquinto (DPU) 7-5, 1-4, uf.
4. Pablo Torres Almeida (DPU) def. Thomas Wakefield (NOVA) 6-3, 7-5
5. Ryan Nguyen (NOVA) vs. Laurentiu Mandocescu (DPU) 7-6(4), 3-2, uf.
6. Sven Moser (DPU) def. Justin Frattarelli (NOVA) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles
1. Shourya Verma/Jona Gitschel (DPU) vs. William Monahan/Justin Frattarelli (NOVA) 4-4, uf.
2. Leon Huck/Sven Moser (DPU) def. Joshua Robinson/Cooper Gordon (NOVA) 6-2
3. Matteo Iaquinto/Vito Tonejc (DPU) def. Noah Winton/Eitan Khromchenko (NOVA) 6-2

Notes
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-2, Singles 6-2-4
DePaul 12-9
Villanova 7-16