MARION, Ind. -- Tyler Abbott won the third set in No. 1-singles 6-4 to give Indiana Wesleyan University men’s tennis the 5-4 win over Huntington (Ind.) and send the Wildcats to the Crossroads League Tournament championship match. IWU will travel to top-seed Marian (Ind.) on Saturday with the winning team earning an automatic berth to the NAIA National Tournament in May.

MATCH VITALS

• Crossroads League Tournament Semifinals
• Score:  Indiana Wesleyan - 5   |   Huntington - 4
• Records:  Indiana Wesleyan 9-3   |   Huntington 7-6
• Tournament Seed:  Indiana Wesleyan - No. 2   |   Huntington - No. 3
• Location:   Sutter Tennis Center   |   Indiana Wesleyan University   |   Marion, Indiana 
   

DOUBLES

• No. 1:  Poncio/Echevarria (HU) def. Niko Rongos/Austin Christner (IWU) 9-8 (8-6)
• No. 2:  Joel Montgomery/Tyler Abbott (IWU) def. Manzo/Martinez (HU) 9-7
• No. 3:  Baranowski/Shelton (HU) def. Jacob Rankin/Andrew Block (IWU) 8-4
  
   

SINGLES

• No. 1:  Tyler Abbott (IWU) def. Poncio (HU) 5-7, 7-6, 6-4
• No. 2:  Manzo (HU) def. Juan Pedro (IWU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-0
• No. 3:  Joel Montgomery (IWU) def. Martinez (HU) 6-2, 6-1
• No. 4:  Baranowski def. Jacob Rankin (IWU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
• No. 5:  Austin Christner (IWU) Buhermore (HU) 6-0, 6-0
• No. 6:  Andrew Block (IWU) def. Echevarria (HU) 6-1, 6-3
   

COACH RUBERG SAYS…

• “We won all three doubles vs. Huntington in the first match earlier this season and won only one tonight. But the guys focused their emotions into singles and came up big. Tyler Abbott won in a close third set in the final match to get the fifth point.”
  
   

UP NEXT FOR MEN’S TENNIS

• Indiana Wesleyan will play at top-seed Marian (Ind.) on Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana. The winner of the match earns the league’s automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship in May.