MOBILE, Ala. – The Bethel College Threshers men's tennis team saw a historic season come to a close on Tuesday afternoon in the opening round of the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship. Facing off against the #11-seeded Morningside University Mustangs at the Mobile Tennis Center, the Threshers battled through a match that proved much closer than the final 4-1 scoreline suggests.
The defeat marks the end of a remarkable run for Bethel, who finish the year with an overall record of 19-4 and an unblemished 12-0 mark in conference play.
Hard-Fought Doubles Point
The match began with high-intensity doubles play, with every court contested until the final serve. Morningside managed to edge out the Threshers to take the 1-0 lead:
Singles Action
In singles, the Threshers continued to pressure the higher-seeded Mustangs, highlighted by a dominant performance at the #5 spot and two grueling three-set marathons.
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#5 Singles: Zaidh Zihar provided the bright spot for Bethel, cruising to a straight-sets victory (6-1, 6-4) over Santiago Minetti to put the Threshers on the board.
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#1 Singles: Jorge Batista took the opening set 7-5 against Marcos Menendez Hervella but was unable to hold off a comeback, falling 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.
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#6 Singles: In another three-set thriller, Adam Tomka rallied to take the second set 6-3 before Gabriel Whiston clinched the match for Morningside with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win.
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#2 Singles: Petr Kollar fought hard in a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Alexis Diaz.
Matches at the #3 and #4 positions, featuring Billy Haoda and Rodrigo Sanchez, were left unfinished once Morningside secured the fourth and deciding team point.
A Banner Year for Bethel
Despite the opening-round exit, the 2025-2026 season stands as one of the most successful in program history. The Threshers' perfect 12-0 run through the regular season culminated in a Conference Championship, earning the team a well-deserved trip to the national stage.
With 19 wins and a conference title under their belt, the Threshers have firmly established themselves as a premier program in the region.
