TULSA, Okla. – No. 2 North Dakota secured a return trip to the Summit League Championship match with a 4-1 victory over No. 3 Oral Roberts in the semifinal round of the 2026 Summit League Men's Tennis Championship on Friday at the Michael D. Case Center. The Fighting Hawks advance to their second consecutive title match.
"This team has grown up so quickly in a short period of time," said UND head tennis coach Tom Boysen. "They have embraced challenges head on. There's a learning curve to accept the fact that doing things the right way doesn't ensure a victory, but it gives you a chance."
North Dakota established control early by sweeping the doubles point, winning at the No. 2 and No. 1 positions to take a 1-0 lead. Justin Ilic and Kotaro Matsumura opened with a 6-4 win over Christian Pensavalle and Cayden Cheek, followed by Christos Alex and Darrshan Suresh Kumar, who secured the point with a 6-4 victory against Ricardo Filho and Lucas Couy.
The Fighting Hawks carried that momentum into singles play, quickly building a cushion. Leo Galliano delivered a 6-3, 6-2 win at the No. 1 spot to make it 2-0, while Alex followed with a 6-0, 7-5 victory at No. 5 to extend the lead to 3-0.
Oral Roberts got on the board at No. 4, where Parv Nage rallied for a 0-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over Ilic to cut the deficit to 3-1. However, North Dakota answered quickly to close out the match.
Suresh Kumar secured the clinching point with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Luis Marcos Bonifasi at No. 2, sealing the 4-1 win and sending the Fighting Hawks back to the championship stage.
"These guys truly want to put their own mark on the UND men's tennis program," said Boysen. "I am so happy that they are seeing success this soon."
With the victory, North Dakota advances to face top-seeded Denver in a rematch of last year's title match, where the Pioneers earned a 4-0 sweep. The Fighting Hawks will look to flip the result as they aim for their first Summit League championship.
"Finding a way to win with 200-plus fans cheering for the other team was a fantastic testament to our tenacity and grit," said Boysen. "We will give everything we've got to bring a championship to UND tomorrow."
For more information on North Dakota men's tennis, follow on social media @UNDmtennis or visit FightingHawks.com.
