Championship Story courtesy of CUNYAC Sports Information

The CUNYAC/Hospital for Special Surgery Men's Tennis Championship took place with two Lexington Avenue rivals battling for the title and the NCAA automatic berth.

At the USTA National Tennis Center, #1 Baruch was looking for a three-peat after taking down CSI and Hunter 5-1 in the last 2013 and 2012 championships, respectively.

The second-seeded Hunter was looking to win their first title since 2011 when they took down Baruch 5-2. Between Baruch and Hunter no other team has won the CUNYAC title since 2003 (CSI). Hunter and Baruch last met in the final in 2012 when Baruch's Stephan Muller led the Bearcats to a 5-1 victory. Baruch was looking for their 11th title, while Hunter was in search of their 7th.

Despite close matches at nearly every flight, Baruch was able to take down the Hawks 5-2 with Christopher Jenkins earning Tournament MVP.

"We came in knowing that we had to want it more," said Baruch Head Coach Florin Giuglescu. "They prepare all season for matches to go long and I think that showed today."

Doubles play saw Baruch take a 2-1 lead with the bottom two groupings winning it for the Bearcats. First to finish was #2 doubles with Christopher Jenkins and Phillip Bleustein taking down Matthew Balilo and Alex Shahban 8-3.

Hunter took #1 doubles next with Gonzalo Saez-Garcia and David Joseph earning an 8-4 win over Jonathan Selegean andJoe Laskowski. Samuel Hajibai and David Alabo finished out third flight 8-4 over Carlos Saavedra and Daniel Rabinovich.

Hajibai was first to finish at #5 singles with a quick 6-0, 6-0 victory over Shahban to give the Bearcats a 3-1 lead.

For a long time, fans were going back and forth between courts as no student-athlete wanted to go down. Several times, Baruch got close to taking a match only to be denied by a Hawk. In #4 singles, Bluestein was victorious 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 in a close matchup with Saavedra. The Hawks would not go down without a singles match as Saez-Garcia defeated Selegean 7-6, 6-2. Baruch took their final match with a back and forth in which Jenkins took out Joseph 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.

Christopher Jenkins was named the Tournament MVP after clinching the three-peat for the Bearcats.

"I was told that I had a really strong opponent so I was thinking that everyone else was having an easier match," said Jenkins. "When I discovered how close it was, I just focused on my match because that was all I could do."

Tennis Match Results
Doubles
1. SAEZ-GARCIA, Gonzalo/JOSEPH, David (H) def. Jonathan Selegean/Joe Laskowski (B), 8-3
2. Christopher Jenkins/Philip Bleustein (B) def. BALILO, Matthew/SHAHBAN, Alex (H) 8-3
3. Samuel Hajibai/David Alabo (B) def. SAAVEDRA, Carlos/RABINOVICH, Daniel (H) 8-4

Singles
1. SAEZ-GARCIA, Gonzalo (H) def. Jonathan Selegean (B), 7-6 (7-3), 6-2
2. Joe Laskowski (B) vs. BALILO, Matthew (H) 6-4, 3-6, 2-2, unfinished
3. Christopher Jenkins (B) def. JOSEPH, David (H) 6-3, 5-7, 6-1
4. Philip Bleustein (B) def. SAAVEDRA, Carlos (H) 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
5. Samuel Hajibai (B) def. SHAHBAN, Alex (H) 6-0, 6-0
6. David Alabo (B) vs. RABINOVICH, Daniel (H) 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 4-1, unfinished

Match Notes:
Hunter College 9-4, 6-1 CUNYAC
Baruch College 13-1, 7-0 CUNYAC

Order of Finish:
Doubles (2,1,3)
Singles (5,4,1,3)