Mobile, Ala. – The regular season champions and No. 5 ranked Dalton State men's tennis team finished the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship Tournament as runners-up to No. 2 Auburn Montgomery.
 
The Warhawks blanked the Roadrunners, 5-0, in Saturday morning's championship match at the Mobile Tennis Center. Auburn Montgomery ended a 14-match Roadrunners win streak.
 
"Championship teams rise up on days like today," said DS Coach Zack Rogers. "AUM proved why they are the winningest program in NAIA history. They came out fast in doubles and took all three lines.  We competed well in doubles and were set-up to take some lines, but we just couldn't overcome the 3-0 deficit. Hats off to AUM and Coach (Rolando) Vargas for their performance."
 
Rogers said it has still been a good weekend for Dalton State tennis.
 
"Bringing home the regular season conference championship as well as the tournament runner-up plaque is something to be proud of," said Rogers. "We are going to get back to work and make a run at the national tournament. We will be a stronger, more focused team when we come to Mobile in May."
 
Doubles:
 

1. Vincent Dubosclard/Birkir Gunnarsson (AUM) def. Edberg Espinoza/Joe Bray (DS) 8-6
2. Santiago Veglia/Matias Destefanis (AUM) def. Sebastian Dartnell/Jose Ruda (DS) 8-4
3. Francisco Mandieta/Luis Vivas (AUM) def. Adam Hornby/Nikolay Nikiforov (DS) 8-4

 
Singles:
 

1. Francisco Mandieta (AUM) vs. Edberg Espinoza (DS) 6-2, 6-6 unfinished
2. Matias Destefanis (AUM) vs. Jose Ruda (DS) 4-6, 3-3 unfinished
3. Federico Lombisano (AUM) vs. Nikolay Nikiforov (DS) 3-6, 3-4 unfinished
4. Vincent Dubosclard (AUM) def. Joe Bray (DS) 6-1, 6-3
5. Luis Vivas (AUM) def. Adam Hornby (DS) 6-1, 6-1
6. Birkir Gunnarsson (AUM) vs. Sebastian Dartnell (DS) 6-0, 3-2 unfinished