Rock Hill, S.C.----For the second straight year the top-seeded and ninth-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs backed up a regular season SAC title with a tournament championship, rolling to a 4-1 victory over second-seeded and 19th-ranked Queens University in the championship match of the 2019 South Atlantic Conference men's tennis tournament at the Rock Hill Tennis Center. Wingate improves to 18-4 overall, while the Royals fall to 14-5 on the season.

THOUGHTS FROM MICHAEL CABANA

"I'm so proud and excited for this group of guys. We started fast with taking the doubles point and continued the momentum into singles. It's a great feeling!"

DOUBLES

- The nation's sixth-ranked doubles team of Daniel Belsito and Josep Canyadell won 6-3 at one doubles
- The All-SAC duo of Enrico Giacomini and Roy Stepanov won by the same margin at two doubles
- Wingate took a 1-0 lead into singles play

SINGLES

- A first team All-SAC selection, Canyadell gave Wingate a 2-0 lead with a 6-2, 6-3 win at three singles
- Giacomini put the 'Dogs on the brink with a 6-3, 6-3 victory at six singles
- Queens picked up its lone point with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at number four singles to make it 3-1
- The nation's 32nd-ranked player, Belsito prevailed 6-4, 6-1 at one singles to clinch it
- The 2018 SAC Player of the Year was named the SAC Tournament MVP
- Matthew Jones lost set one 7-5 at two singles, but won 6-2 in the second set to send it to a third set when the match was clinched
- SAC Freshman of the Year Tolunay Sumer won the first set 6-2 at five singles

NOTES

- The 'Dogs improve to 18-2 against Division II opponents this season
- Wingate improves to 8-2 against ranked opponents this year
- The 'Dogs win both the SAC regular season and tourney title in the same season for the second straight year
- WU also won both championships in 2012, 2014 and 2015
- The Bulldogs were appearing in the SAC title match for the ninth time in 10 years
- Fifth SAC Tournament title for the Dogs (all since 2012)
- The Bulldogs have won a total of 13 conference championships since the 2009 season
- Second straight year Wingate has defeated Queens for the title
- Belsito and Canyadell improve to 14-2 in doubles play; Giacomini and Stepanov are 12-4
- Belsito moves to 49-9 in his singles career, all at one and two singles
- Canyadell goes to 18-3 in singles play this season and 31-12 in his two-year career
- Giacomini moves to 15-3 in singles play this year and 28-12 in his career
- Belsito went 3-0 at one singles and one doubles in the SAC Tournament
- Canyadell was 3-0 at one doubles and 2-0 at three singles in tourney play
- Giacomini and Stepanov went a perfect 3-0 at two doubles in the three tournament matches

UP NEXT

- Wingate earns the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament
- The 'Dogs were ranked third in the NCAA Southeast Region rankings released this week
- The top two teams in the region earn hosting duties