Fairfield Upsets Marist to Win 2012 MAAC Men's Tennis Championship
MAAC Sports
West Windsor, N.J. - Fairfield won its first league title since
1997, upsetting top-seeded Marist in the 2012 MAAC Men's Tennis
Championship at Mercer County Park in West Windsor, N.J.
Fairfield marched out to an early 1-0 lead after winning the first two doubles matches. At first doubles, Dan Sauter and Dennis Zlobinsky defeated Matt Himmelsbach and Matteo Guidici, 8-3. Joe Michalisin and Erik Kremheller were able to pull out an 8-6 victory over Lorenzo Rossi and Joris Van Eck at second position.
But, the Red Foxes managed to pull back into the match with wins from Himmelsbach at third singles (6-1, 6-0), Will Reznek at fourth singles (6-3, 6-2), and Dalen Klassen at sixth singles (6-2, 6-2). A win at second singles by Ian Tesmond (6-4, 6-2), along with a fifth singles victory by Kremheller made it a 3-3 draw with just the first singles match remaining between 2012 MAAC Men's Tennis Player of the Year Rossi and Sauter.
Rossi won the first set, 6-4, but Sauter charged back to win the final two, 6-1 and 6-4, giving Fairfield the 2012 title in a thrilling finale. It is the fifth-consecutive time both teams have faced-off in the final, but the first championship won by the Stags.
Sauter was named the 2012 MAAC Men's Tennis Championship Most Outstanding Performer.
Fairfield will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.