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    Flames Make History, Win Inaugural NIT Championship With 4-1 Takedown of No. 69 Vanderbilt

    May 20, 2023 | Peachtree City Ga | Men's Tennis

    Box Score

    The Liberty Flames become the first-ever winners of the Universal Tennis NIT Championship after the squad handled No. 69 Vanderbilt to a 4-1 tune, Saturday at the Peachtree City Tennis Center. The Flames defeated UC San Diego, No. 60 Denver and No. 69 Vanderbilt in a span of three days to claim the title.

    The Commodores had only four available players which forced the Flames’ foe to forfeit three total matches which Liberty used to its advantage. Liberty needed to secure just one doubles match that was taken by Deji Thomas-Smith and Luis Felipe Miguel on court two with a 6-3 triumph. With two defaults and the initial doubles point, the Flames were up 3-0 heading to the singles round. Vanderbilt managed to snag a win on court three, but senior Beau Pelletier clinched the title with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 victory on court four.

    Liberty claims the inaugural NIT Championship in just its third postseason appearance. The Flames conclude the spring season with an impressive 17-10 record and finish the season on a high note with a dominant three matches in the NIT Championship.

    Liberty 4, #69 Vanderbilt 1

    Singles Competition

    1. Nathan Cox (VANDY-M) vs. Josh Wilson (LIBERTYM) 6-3, 3-4, unfinished
    2. Joubert Klopper (VANDY-M) vs. Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) 6-3, 2-3, unfinished
    3. Michael Ross (VANDY-M) def. Deji Thomas-Smith (LIBERTYM) 6-2, 6-2
    4. Beau Pelletier (LIBERTYM) def. Macsen Sisam (VANDY-M) 6-0, 6-1
    5. Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) def. No player (VANDY-M), by default
    6. Luis Felipe Miguel (LIBERTYM) def. No player (VANDY-M), by default

    Doubles Competition

    1. Nathan Cox/Michael Ross (VANDY-M) vs. Josh Wilson/Christiaan Worst (LIBERTYM) 5-5, unfinished
    2. Deji Thomas-Smith/Luis Felipe Miguel (LIBERTYM) def. Joubert Klopper/Macsen Sisam (VANDY-M) 6-3
    3. Zion Heaven/Thando Longwe-Smit (LIBERTYM) def. No player/No player (VANDY-M), by default

    Liberty 17-10
    Vanderbilt 10-18; National ranking #69
    Order of Finish: Doubles (2); Singles (3,4)
    2023 Universal Tennis NIT Championship Final

    How It Happened
    • The Flames grabbed the initial doubles point in the No. 2 doubles match with Deji Thomas-Smith and Luis Felipe Miguel (14-7) snagging a 6-3 victory over Joubert Klopper and Macsen Sisam.
    • The senior duo of Josh Wilson and Christiaan Worst (12-8) were tied at 5-5 on court one facing Nathan Cox and Michael Ross. Wilson concludes his Liberty tenure with the program lead in all-time singles wins with 92 and finishes tied for first in Liberty history with Shea Thomas (2010-14) with 82 career doubles wins.
    • Vanderbilt was able to grab a singles match in the No. 3 singles match as Thomas-Smith (13-10) fell to Ross 6-2, 6-2.
    • Senior Beau Pelletier was mobbed by his teammates after he secured the title at No. 4 singles with a mighty 6-0, 6-1 performance against Sisam.
    • Two matches went unfinished. Wilson dropped the first set to Cox 6-3 but was leading 4-3 in the second set when Pelletier clinched the title. Worst also fell in the first set to Klopper 6-3 but was leading 3-2 at the conclusion of the match.
    • Liberty is only one of two NCAA men’s Division I tennis teams which will end its season with a win. No. 3 Ohio State and No. 5 Virginia will meet in the national championship match, Sunday.
    • This was the Flames’ sixth ranked victory of 2023 and second in as many days.
    • Liberty dropped only one total point at the NIT Championship.
    • The Flames’ Worst faced off against his former team on Saturday. Worst played for the Commodores for two seasons before spending the last three seasons at Liberty.