Goucher Men's Tennis Set To Host Landmark Conference Championship Match In Search Of Fourth-Straight Crown Against Scranton On Saturday

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Goucher College men's tennis team continues its quest for its fourth-consecutive Landmark Conference Tournament title when the Gophers host the Landmark Conference Championship Game against No. 2 University of Scranton at the Goucher College Tennis Courts on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. The match, which is free and open to the public, has been moved up due to possible weather coming into the area in the afternoon.

The Gophers advanced to their fifth-straight Landmark Conference Championship match with a 5-0 win against Susquehanna University on Tuesday. Tetsuya Ota (Wesley Chapel, Fla./Saddlebrook Prep)/Michael Herman (Prague, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Nova Porg) (No. 1 doubles, 8-2), Elliot Diehl (York, Pa./York Suburban)/ Frankie Mullinix (Washington, D.C./The George School) (No. 2 doubles, 8-4) and Omosesan Adebamgbe (Philadelphia, Pa./Lower Merion)/Slade Dumas (Great Falls, Va./Dominion) (No. 3 doubles, 8-2) swept doubles play to stake Goucher out to a 3-0 lead. Ota won at No. 1 singles 6-0, 6-0 and Diehl clinched the match with a 6-1, 6-0 decision at No. 6 singles.

The Royals set up a rematch of last year's title bout thanks to a 5-0 win against No. 3 Juniata College on Tuesday. Scranton has stood in the way of a Gophers championship in the previous three seasons. Goucher defeated the Royals 5-0 in the semifinals in 2016, 5-2 in the semifinals in 2017 and 5-2 in the championship match in 2018.

Goucher College will be providing live stats and a live stream of the championship match on Saturday.

It will be the second time this season the two teams will meet on the Goucher College Tennis Courts after the Gophers defeated Scranton 7-2 on March 31. Ota/Herman (No. 1 doubles, 8-3), Mullinix/Diehl (No. 2 doubles, 8-3) and Adebamgbe/Dumas (No. 3 doubles, 8-1) all won their doubles matches while Ota (No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-0), Mullinix (No. 3 singles, 6-1, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3), Dumas (No. 5 singles, 6-0, 6-0) and Brian Kane (Philadelphia, Pa./Friends Select) (No. 6 singles, 6-0, 6-0) each recorded wins in the regular season meeting against the Royals.

Ota and Herman are 9-9 on the year at No. 1 doubles including 5-0 in league play. Mullinix and Diehl have played all three doubles positions and are 11-3 on the year including 6-0 in the circuit while Adebamgbe and Dumas have records at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles and are 13-1 together including 6-0 in league play.

Ota, the 2018 Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year and all-conference first-team selection, is 14-6 on the year and 7-0 in conference matches. The two-time conference player of the week only lost eight games in seven matches in league play at No. 1 singles. Herman, who earned all-conference second-team recognition in 2018, is 8-6 on the year and 3-1 in the circuit at No. 2 singles. 

Mullinix has played No. 2, 3 and 4 singles this year and is 10-8 in singles play including 6-1 in Landmark action. Dumas, who was named the conference player of the week after his sensational spring break, has played every spot in the lineup except for No. 6 singles and is 15-7 on the year including 7-0 in league play. The junior has only allowed four games in conference matches this year and is 13-1 in his last 14 matches.

Kane is 14-6 on the year and 7-0 in Landmark action in his first trip around the league while playing at the bottom four spots of the lineup. Diehl is 9-1 on the year and 5-0 in league play at No. 5 and 6 singles. Adebamgbe has also played singles and is 5-8 on the year and 1-1 in the circuit in the middle of the lineup.

Goucher is looking to win its fourth-straight conference title after winning the crown in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Diehl and Meekins are looking to leave Goucher with four titles. The squad will also look to advance to its fifth-straight championship match and first under first-year head coach Eric Spangler.