INDIANAPOLIS - Northern Kentucky University men’s tennis player Amine Benjelloun won twice at No. 1 singles Friday as the Norse advanced to the title match of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships with a pair of victories.
Benjelloun posted a 6-4, 6-0 win over Quincy University’s David Fuhrig in the opener as NKU posted a 6-0 victory against the Hawks. Benjelloun, named the GLVC co-Player of the Year earlier this week, then defeated Matthew Warner, 6-1, 6-1, as the top-seeded Norse rolled past fourth-seeded Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, 5-1, in the tournament semifinals.
NKU’s Oliver Marinkovic and Nick Herzog won their respective singles matches against SIUE, and they also teamed at No. 2 doubles for an 8-6 victory against the Cougars.
NKU, the defending GLVC champion, has won 23 consecutive matches against GLVC opponents. The Norse have not lost to a GLVC opponent since April 19, 2002, when the University of Missouri-St. Louis posted a 5-3 win over NKU at the GLVC Championships.
NKU will meet Southern Indiana on Saturday in the championship match. The Norse, ranked 37th in the NCAA Division II poll, already own a 7-2 win over Southern Indiana during the regular season.
A year ago in the GLVC title match, NKU defeated Southern Indiana, 5-2.
2004 Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships
(at Indianapolis, Ind.)
First Round
#1 Northern Kentucky 6, #8 Quincy 0
Singles
1. Amine Benjelloun (NKU) def. David Fuhrig, 6-4, 6-0.
4. Nick Herzog (NKU) def. Andy Fink 6-1, 6-1.
6. Ronnie Pedro (NKU) def. Trent Terwelp, 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles
1. Amine Benjelloun/Billy Hopkins (NKU) def. David Fuhrig/Zach Miller, 9-8.
2. Nick Herzog/Oliver Marinkovic (NKU) def. Andy Fink/Trent Terwelp, 8-1.
3. Marek Pawelec/Ted Walkup (NKU) def. Brightman/Sheffer, 8-4.
Semifinals
#1 Northern Kentucky 5, #4 SIUE 1
Singles
1. Amine Benjelloun (NKU) def. Matthew Warner, 6-1, 6-1.
2. Oliver Marinkovic (NKU) def. Justin Free, 6-1, 6-1.
4. Nick Herzog (NKU) def. Renner, 6-0, 6-3.
Doubles
1. Free/Warner (SIUE) def. Benjelloun/Billy Hopkins, 8-6.
2. Herzog/Marinkovic (NKU) def. Lipe/Rigdon, 8-6.
3. Marek Pawelec/Ted Walkup (NKU) def. Doug Kummer/Andy Renner, 8-4.
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Amine Benjelloun |