McLean County Times

Illinois State University's men's tennis team has advanced to the Summit League Championships, earning the No. 4 seed. They will face the top-seeded Denver University at Denver Tennis Park on Friday, April 18, at 1 p.m. CT.

The Redbirds are participating in the Summit League Championships for the third time and for the second consecutive season. Last year, the team was defeated 4-0 by Drake Bulldogs in Des Moines, Iowa. In 2022, Illinois State lost 4-1 to No. 1 seed Denver Pioneers, with Arvid Hjalte securing the team's only victory that year.

In their most recent match, Illinois State secured a 5-2 win against Oral Roberts University (ORU). The doubles team of Adrian Dibildox and Tomas Valencia won at the No. 1 position, while Christian Capacci and Manuel Pavia secured a victory at No. 3. In singles, Valencia, Dibildox, Capacci, and Jett Leong each contributed to the team's 5-2 victory.

The semifinal round of the Summit League Championships will see North Dakota face Omaha at 9 a.m. MT/10 a.m. CT in the other match.

Denver University, who hosts the tournament this year, comes off a recent 5-0 win against the University of North Dakota. Pioneers' doubles players Theo Coats and Daniel Sancho Arbizu shone in their match against North Dakota, and Arbizu also excelled in singles.

In terms of series history, Denver holds a 9-2 victory record against the Redbirds. For more information on the team's progress, fans can follow them on their social media platforms or visit GoRedbirds.com.