NASHVILLE – Kyle McNally made history for the University of Dayton men’s tennis team by qualifying for the NCAA Singles Championship at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional.
The senior is just the second Flyer to qualify for the NCAA Individual Championships, following Jordan Benjamin in 2018.
“I’m proud of the guys. Regionals brings great competition and opportunities,” said head coach Ryan Meyer. “To qualify for NCAAs this way was very special for Kyle and the program. I’m very proud of Sturle and Mikkel advancing to the finals as well. Overall, we are heading in the right direction.”
McNally began his run in the main draw of the tournament, winning matches against players from Belmont, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Louisville and Middle Tennessee State.
Rishi Dore, Kaia Mendibe and Mikkel Zinder also earned singles wins in the qualifying stage. Zinder earned two singles wins before falling to a player from Kentucky. Dylan Jaen, Alfons Ridstrom and Sturle Skigelstrand dropped their opening matches, winning consolation matches.
In doubles, Skigelstrand and Zinder won five doubles matches to reach the final match, taking down teams from Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State and Elon. In the title match, they fell 7-5, 7-5 to a team from Louisville.
McNally and Eric Suk won their opening match against Eastern Kentucky, dropping a close 8-7 (8-6) match to a pair from Chattanooga. Jaen and Dore teamed up in doubles as well, bowing out in the first round.
SINGLES
Zinder (UD) def. Campbell (XAV) 6-0, 6-0
Cowcher (ETSU) def. Skigelstrand (UD) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
Loubser (APSU) def. Jaen (UD) 0-6, 6-3, 6-1
Mendibe (UD) def. Vlahos (LIP) 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 1-0
Dore (UD) def. Valdes (EKU) 6-0, 1-0, retired
Delnido (UTC) def. Ridstrom (UD) 7-5, 6-0
Zinder (UD) def. Burckhardt (TTU) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
Ayllon Prado (MTSU) def. Mendibe (UD) 7-5, 6-3
Carroll (LOU) def. Dore (UD) 6-2, 6-1
Stephenson (UK) def. Zinder (UD) 6-4, 7-6 (11-9)
McNally (UD) def. Garcia Salgado (BEL) 6-1, 6-0
Skigelstrand (UD) def. Milette (BSU) 6-0, 6-3
Jaen (UD) def. Miton (PUR) 3-6, 6-1, 10-6
Ridstrom (UD) def. Berson (BELL) 6-1, 4-6, 10-6
McNally (UD) def. Santhosh (VAN) 6-0, 6-0
McNally (UD) def. Arseneault (UK) 6-3, 6-4
McNally (UD) def. Onofrei (LOU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
McNally (UD) def. Saleh (MTSU) 6-2, 6-4
DOUBLES
McNally/Suk (UD) def. Wilber/Valdes (EKU) 8-4
Skigelstrand/Zinder (UD) def. Sickenberger/Forde (UK) 8-7 (8-6)
Antonescu/Scherer (IU) def. Jaen/Dore (UD) 8-7 (7-4)
Jupa/Lamb (UTC) def. McNally/Suk (UD) 8-7 (8-6)
Skigelstrand/Zinder (UD) def. Panarin/Ljubicic (VAN) 8-4
Skigelstrand/Zinder (UD) def. Kimhi/Jovanovski (UT) 8-2
Skigelstrand/Zinder (UD) def. Mayoral/Mayoral (MTSU) 8-6
Skigelstrand/Zinder (UD) def. Ymer/Oscar Lien (ELON) 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 10-5
El Amine/Bazin (LOU) def. Skigelstrand/Zinder (UD) 7-5, 7-5
UP NEXT
Members of the Flyers will play in the ITA Sectionals on Nov. 5-8 to try and join McNally at the NCAA Championships on Nov. 17-22.
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