Tennis ‘Cats fall to Fairmont State in MEC semis; UC claims title

The University of Charleston captured the Mountain East Conference Men’s Tennis Championship by defeating Fairmont State 4-2 in the final after both teams advanced through dramatic semifinal matches.

Sports Release
May 5, 2025

CHARLESTON — In a rematch of last year’s Mountain East Conference Men’s Tennis Championship final, the University of Charleston and Fairmont State University again advanced following Saturday’s semifinals.

UC and Fairmont State met Sunday for the MEC title with UC winning the conference title by a 4-2 score.

SEMIFINALS

#1 Charleston def. #4 West Virginia State, 4-1

In a match that was moved to the Charleston Tennis Club because of inclement weather, the Yellow Jackets claimed the doubles point before falling in singles play.

West Virginia State’s Alex Dormann and Forkane Lebdi combined to defeat UC’s Jorge Perez and Marcelo Mifano Pinto, 6-3, and Johan Karlsson and Facundo Campana Urcia teamed to beat Omar Elsamahy and Vicente Garcia, 6-4 to claim the point.

Elsamahy (No. 2), Louay Makke (No. 3), Garcia (No. 4), and Alberto Nordio (No. 6) all produced straight-set wins to help UC advance to Sunday’s championship.

#3 Fairmont State def. #2 West Virginia Wesleyan, 4-1

The Falcons claimed the doubles point, and then Fairmont State and West Virginia Wesleyan went to battle. Although the Bobcats’ Nicola Bottelberghs defeated Mohamed Mostafa Moens, 6-4, 6-4, Fairmont State needed a trio of three-set wins to advance.

Haruto Kusunoki (No. 2 singles), Hugo Lena (No. 5 singles), and Keagan Karunagaran (No. 6 singles) all needed a decisive third set to defeat Wesleyan. Lena rallied after losing the first set. The two other matches that did not finish in singles play were also in the third set at the time of the match’s conclusion.

FINALS

Charleston def Fairmont State, 4-2

The final two matches in Sunday’s Mountain East Conference Men’s Tennis final went to a decisive third set, and the outcomes loomed large for the University of Charleston and Fairmont State.

Finally, at No. 4 singles, UC’s Vicente Garcia put away Fairmont State’s Mohamed Mostafa Moens 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to give the Golden Eagles its needed fourth win of the day and the MEC title.

UC made quick work in doubles to grab the first point, and then No. 1 singles player Jorge Perez, the MEC Player of the Year, and No. 3 singles player Louay Makke, the MEC Freshman of the Year, each won in straight sets to give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 lead. But the Falcons fought back with a straight-set victory by No. 5 singles Huge Massoni and then a three-set win by Keagan Karunagaren at No. 6 singles to tighten the match.

Garcia survived to give UC a sweep of the MEC’s regular season and postseason championships, and the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The NCAA Division II men’s tennis tournament selection show can be streaming at 8 p.m. on Monday on NCAA.com.

Following the preliminary rounds, the field of 16 teams competes in a single-elimination competition to reach the championship final. Matches begin with the first round on Wednesday, May 21 and continue through the championship match on Sunday, May 25 at 9 a.m. ET at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Florida.