WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace's men's tennis team took the next step to securing an NAIA tournament bid with a 4-0 win over Bethel at the Don Cramer Tennis Courts on Thursday. With the win, the Lancers will make their fifth-straight tournament final, having claimed the last two. 

Doubles play was a battle. Pablo Gregori and Salva Pons took care of business in the top spot, but the other two matches were a little closer. Ultimately, Grace earned the doubles point when Manuel Marques and Roko Misura outlasted their opponents 7-5 to clinch the point. Artur Pons and Luis Cordoba were ahead in their match 6-5 before the clincher.

Singles action got off to a slow start for the home team. Grace dropped the first set on 4 of 6 courts. Cordoba and Benjamin Rahine were the only two to win in straight sets. Rahine quickly went 6-1, 6-0 and Cordoba followed with a 6-3, 6-3 showing.

The rest needed a third set for a winner to prevail with three not going the full distance. Salva Pons was the Lancer to send the team on to the finals. After falling behind early, he stormed back to win 0-6, 6-3, 6-3 to seal the deal. 

In the three remaining matches, Grace was ahead in two and tied in the last. Gregori and Marques were in control of their matches with both on the verge of winning when Pons ended the match. Artur Pons was tied 2-2 in the tiebreaker after splitting the first two sets.

Grace will square off against Huntington in the tournament final with the automatic bid to the NAIA tournament on the line. The Lancers took the regular season tilt 4-3 when the teams met in September. The rematch will get underway from the Don Cramer Tennis Courts on Saturday at 11 a.m., as part of the Homecoming festivities on campus.

DOUBLES - 12

Gregori/S Pons def. Bonsergent/Otin, 6-2
Marques/Misura def. Flores/Marchetti, 7-5
A Pons/Cordoba vs. Reis/Coll, 6-5, DNF

SINGLES - 542

Pablo Gregori vs. Bonsergent, 4-6, 6-2, 5-2, DNF
Salva Pons def. Flores, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
Artur Pons vs. Marchetti, 5-7, 6-0, 2-2, DNF
Luis Cordoba def. Otin, 6-3, 6-3
Benjamin Rahine def. Coll, 6-1, 6-0
Manuel Marques vs. Gaviria, 3-6, 6-4, 5-1, DNF