PETE ZIEBRON in SURPRISE, AZ
Barry Bucs, the undefeated 2015 NCAA Division II National Champions Pete Ziebron Images
In a battle of unbeaten squads, #2 Barry University topped #1 Hawaii Pacific University 5-3 to claim the 2015 NCAA Division II Championship two days ago in Surprise, AZ.
A very unseasonable cool 75F sunny day greeted both teams as they stepped onto center court for introductions, followed by 3 concurrent doubles matches. Barry took command out of the gate as the #2 ranked doubles team of Fabian Groetsch and Ahmed Triki upset the best doubles tandem in the nation, Thibaud Berland and Yann Renault 8-4 to stake Barry to a 1-0 lead. Shortly after the conclusion of play on center court, Hawaii Pacific leveled the Championship at 1 as Maik Burlage and Marko Lenz defeated Dominik Haider and Kevin Sielmann by the same 8-4 scoreline.
Ahmed Triki and Fabian Groetsch talk strategy during their doubles victory. Pete Ziebron Images
Nearly everyone on the grounds then flocked to Court 3 to see which team would take control of the Championship with a win in the 3rd doubles match. Finally, on their 7th Match Point, the Barry team of Franco Echenique and Renato Lombardi got past Clemens Graute & Jaume Martinez-Vich 8-6.
Next, 5 of the top 15 players in NCAA Division II tennis took to the court for singles action with Barry holding a 2-1 lead. Center Court featured #2 Marko Lenz facing off against #3 Malik Triki of Barry. Lenz quickly took the opening set 6-2 as I headed to court 2 to see #9 Thibaud Berland of Hawaii Pacific close out the first set against #4 Fabian Groetsch 6-3.
- Those spectators on the grounds who were familiar with the depth of both programs shared with me that it would most likely be the result on court 3 that would ultimately determine the Championship.
- Truer words have never been spoken, as their predictions would be prophetic beyond belief.
As Lenz and Berland won their opening sets, Nico Dreer of Barry took the first set 6-3 from #15 Jaume Martinez-Vich. Meanwhile, Maik Burlage of HPU won a tight 6-4 set from Kevin Sielmann on court 4 and Dominik Haider and Renarto Lombardi of Barry each won their opening sets comfortably on courts 5 & 6 respectively.
Action on courts 6 and 5 would then wrap up rather quickly as Lombardi defeated Clemens Graute 6-2 6-2 and Haider beat Jakub Hadrava 6-0 6-2. Moments later, Maik Burlage of Hawaii Pacific would defeat Kevin Sielmann 6-4 6-0. Following the wins by Burlage and Haider, Barry now led 4-2 and shouts of "Go Bucs" echoed throughout the Surprise Tennis Complex. Barry players and coaches and spectators on the grounds raced to court 3 as Nico Dreer was close to sealing the Championship for Barry.
While NCAA officials were setting up tables and preparing to issue Championship shirts, the camera that streamed the match above court 3 was suddenly manned and a flurry of commotion could be seen and felt adjacent to the court. Everything seemed to be happening as Nico Dreer held a match and Championship point for Barry University. But, Dreer would be denied by Jaume Martinez-Vich, who fought valiantly and would roar back to ultimately win the second set 7-5.
Attention now shifted back to center court where Triki won a 2nd set tiebreaker and also to court 2 where Groetsch took a 7-5 set.
- Barry seemed to be in control of the Championship with a 4-2 lead, needing but a single victory, however the events that took place in the final 30 minutes of play were full of tension and drama.
First, Thibaud Berland would keep Hawaii Pacific alive with a 6-2 3rd set win over Groetsch on court 2. Barry was now clinging to a 4-3 lead and holding on for dear life as Marko Lenz was up a break against Triki on center court and Martinez-Vich raced to a 5-2 final set lead on court 3.
NCAA #2 Marko Lenz serving to NCAA #3 Ahmed Triki on Center Court. Pete Ziebron Images
Nico Dreer would hold serve and break Martinez-Vich to get closer at 4-5. It was at this time that Martinez-Vich started to cramp and was hardly able to move on the court. Meanwhile, Lenz maintained his break advantage over Triki on center court. Dreer held serve to square the final set at 5. Somehow, Martinez-Vich found some mobility despite being in complete agony and was able to rally during the first few points of his service game. Unfortunately though, the pain was too great and a hobbled Martinez-Vich would be broken.
During the changeover, Martinez-Vich lay in the corner of the court in agony. As the chair umpire stood over him like a boxing referee ready to call a TKO and issuing verbal time violation warnings and threatening point penalties, a Hawaii Pacific teammate eventually carried Martinez-Vich to the other side of the court.
Jaume Martinez-Vich moments before he was carried to the other end of the court by a teammate. Pete Ziebron Images
Jaume Martinez-Vich refused to retire from the match. He simply had to watch as he was unable to move for any of Nico Dreer's serves and Dreer would win the deciding game at love to clinch the National Championship for Barry University.
The Championship was decided on Court 3, just as I was advised it would by a handful of Division II tennis aficionados on the grounds hours earlier in the day. Concurrent to the absolutely dramatic events on Court 3, on Center Court, Hawaii Pacific's Marko Lenz led Ahmed Triki 5-3 in the 3rd set and was serving for the match...................
Hawaii Pacific - THAT close to going undefeated had Martinez-Vich won on Court 3. Pete Ziebron Images
WOW!
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