ORLANDO, Fla. — The Stetson men's tennis team competed in the UCF Invitational this past weekend, facing tough competition from UCF, South Florida, and Florida Atlantic. The Hatters finished the event with a 1-2 record, highlighted by a hard-fought win over Florida Atlantic.
Stetson faced challenges in their matches against UCF and South Florida, dropping contests in both singles and doubles play. Kartik Mandla earned a notable singles win against UCF, taking the first set 6-1 before his opponent retired. Xavier Sarda Marti and Santiago Padilla Cote fell 7-5 in a closely contested doubles match against South Florida, while Christian Kuehne and Mihnea Maftei picked up a 6-3 win on #4 doubles.
The Hatters rebounded with a tight 4-3 victory over Florida Atlantic. Stetson won three of four doubles matches, including a 6-3 win from Kuehne and Maftei on court 1, and a nail-biting 9-7 tiebreaker win from Marc Saura and Mateya Stanisavljevic on court 3. Alexandre Verlaguet and Mandla added a 6-2 win on court 4. In singles, Sarda, Mandla, Padilla Cote, and Miroz all earned wins, with several matches decided in tiebreakers and third-set deciders, showcasing the team's resilience.
Head Coach Travis Sandlant said, "It was good to get as much tennis in as we did with all of the rain. There were some solid takeaways and things that we will continue to improve on moving forward. I thought we competed hard and brought good energy as the weekend progressed. We finished strongly at the end and need to build on that. Regionals will be a great test to see where we're at as a team."
The Hatters will take the lessons learned from the UCF Invitational into their next outing at the ITA Regionals in Gainesville, Fla., October 8–13.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
