Headline:
Close Calls in Indy: No. 9 APU Drops Pair of 4–3 Decisions at ITA Indoors
Subheadline:
Cougars edged by No. 7 UT Tyler in consolation play and No. 17 Indianapolis in the seventh-place match at the 2026 ITA Division II National Men's Team Indoor Championship.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — No. 9 Azusa Pacific men's tennis battled through two tightly contested matches over the weekend but came up just short twice, falling 4–3 to No. 7 UT Tyler in the consolation round and 4–3 to No. 17 University of Indianapolis in the seventh-place match at the 2026 ITA Division II National Men's Team Indoor Championship.
Consolation Match: No. 7 UT Tyler 4, No. 9 APU 3
The Cougars opened Saturday against UT Tyler at the USTA Midwest Tennis Center and found themselves in an early hole after dropping the doubles point.
Azusa Pacific responded in singles behind a dominant performance from Soeren Grandke, who earned a straight-sets victory at No. 1. Joan Crespo added another point at No. 5 with a 6–4, 6–2 win, and Mathys Pinoit fought through a grueling three-set battle at No. 3 to keep APU within reach.
However, UT Tyler secured wins at Nos. 2, 4 and 6 singles to clinch the match, handing the Cougars a narrow 4–3 defeat.
Seventh-Place Match: No. 17 Indianapolis 4, No. 9 APU 3
On Sunday, Azusa Pacific faced host No. 17 Indianapolis in another match that came down to the final courts.
Once again, the Cougars were forced to chase after dropping the doubles point. In singles play, APU showed resilience. Mathys Pinoit rallied for a three-set win at No. 3, Viktor Craenenbroeck delivered a steady straight-sets victory at No. 4, and Joan Crespo cruised at No. 5.
But Indianapolis claimed key wins at the top and bottom of the lineup, including a three-set decision at No. 1 singles, to secure the 4–3 result and seventh place in the tournament.
Despite the pair of narrow setbacks, the Cougars proved they can compete point-for-point with top-20 programs on the national stage. Three of their four matches in Indianapolis were decided by a single point, underscoring both the competitiveness of the field and the razor-thin margins at the ITA Indoor Championship.
