ALTOONA, Pa.- The Juniata men's tennis team hosted Catholic at the Summit Tennis & Athletic Club in the Landmark Tournament Semifinals on Wednesday afternoon. The Eagles won all three matches in doubles play and need just two wins in singles to defeat the Cardinals 5-0 and advance to the Landmark Championship match for the third straight year.
Dean Polisena (Adelaide, Australia/Saint Ignatius) and Roy Liberman (Montevideo, Uruguay/EIHU) were the first pair off the courts as they defeated the duo of Juan Lorido and Rocky Alhaqbani 8-4 at first singles. Bryan Gregory (Glen Mills, Pa./Garnet Valley) and Owen Grafe (Newton, Mass./Newton North) were the next ones to wrap up as they knocked off Jan Lasota and Ted Tiu 8-6 at second doubles. The last to finish were Matyas Kohout (Krhanice, Czech Republic/Gymansium Jizni Mesto) and Logan Moore (Chadds Ford, Pa./Unionville). They needed a tiebreak but were able to hold off Rob Alexander and Matthew Holtschneider 9-8.
Kohout had not problem with Holtschneider at third singles as he won 6-1, 6-2. With two matches playing, Polisena was able to get the match clinching point as he won 6-2, 6-2 over Lorido.
The Eagles travel to Towson, Md. to play top-seeded Goucher on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. for the championship. This is the second straight year that the two teams will face off in the title match as Juniata defeated the Gophers 5-3 in Huntingdon last season to win its first crown.
