2016-17 CLEVELAND STATE ATHLETICS TOP-10 MOMENTS

Over the course of the next two weeks, the Cleveland State Department of Athletics
will revisit the 2016-17 season with a look at the top-10 moments of the year.
A new moment will be revealed each day (Monday through Friday) from June 5-16.

#10 - Men's Tennis Advances to Horizon League Championship Match as No. 6 Seed

The Cleveland State men's tennis team earned the sixth and final seed in the Horizon League tournament, but that didn't stop the Vikings from making a spirited run to the championship match before falling in a thrilling final.

CSU was the first six seed in Horizon League history to make an appearance in the championship match.

The Vikings opened the tournament with a 4-3 win over Green Bay – a team that swept the Vikings in the regular season finale less than one week earlier – as Benjamin Slade clinched the win with a win at No. 3 singles. The following day, CSU upset second-seeded Detroit Mercy, 4-1, to advance to the League championship match for the eighth time in program history.

Facing top-seeded and heavily favored Valparaiso, the Vikings were in a 3-0 hole before singles wins by Kevin Goth (No. 6), Mirko Radosevic (No. 4) and Slade (No. 3) evened the contest at 3-3.

The deciding point came down to No. 5 singles then, with William Malm battling back for a 7-6 (2) tiebreak victory in the second set after dropping the opening frame 6-2. The third and deciding set also went to a tiebreaker, with Malm fighting back from a 5-2 deficit, but coming up just short in a 7-6 (4) tiebreak score.