DeLand, Fla. — The Stetson men's tennis team wrapped up an impressive weekend at the Mad Hatters Fall Invitational on Sunday, completing three days of competitive play at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center.
The Hatters opened the tournament Friday with a commanding 5–1 performance in singles play and a split in doubles against Boston College. Christian Kuehne, Santiago Padilla Cote, Xavier Sarda, Marc Saura, and Kartik Mandla each earned singles victories to give Stetson a strong start to its home event.
On Saturday, Stetson faced Kennesaw State and battled through a long day of matches that included an additional doubles contest against North Florida. The Hatters dropped four doubles matches to the Owls but responded well in singles, winning four of six courts. Augustin Verlaguet led the way with a 6–1, 6–4 win over Ben Hudson, while Kuehne, Padilla Cote, and Saura also picked up victories.
The Hatters capped the weekend Sunday afternoon with dominant doubles play against North Florida before rain halted singles competition. Stetson swept all four doubles courts, with Verlaguet and Mandla winning 7–5 on court one over Breno Marques and Andreas Scott. Sarda and Saura took court two 6–2 over Enrique Pena and Jean Deloziere, while Padilla Cote and Kuehne posted a 6–1 win on court three over Joao Portugal and Youssef Labbene. In an additional doubles matchup, Mateya Stanisavljevic and Calin Maftei defeated Gabriel Piqueras and Kyle Piqueras 6–3.
"This was a solid weekend where we had to overcome a lot of adversity with the weather and some long matches," said Head Coach Travis Sandlant. "The guys did a good job winning some closely contested sets with the right mindset and used that momentum to finish the match. Our doubles had consistently high energy and we were able to get some key doubles victories finishing strongly on the last day. We're making strides as a team and we look forward to building towards the spring."
Fall 2025 Mad Hatters Fall Invitational – Weekend Results
Friday – Stetson vs. Boston College
Doubles
BC (Matthew Carioscia / Matvey Greschner) def. SU (Kuehne / Saura) 6–1
SU (Padilla Cote / Sarda) def. BC (Liam O'Leary / Matthew Overvelde) 6–4
Singles
Kuehne (SU) def. Carioscia (BC) 6–3, 6–4
Padilla Cote (SU) def. Overvelde (BC) 6–2, 6–1
Sarda (SU) def. Greschner (BC) 6–4, 6–2
Saura (SU) def. Levant (BC) 7–6(4), 1–6, 10–7
Mandla (SU) def. Rao (BC) 6–1, 6–0
Saturday – Stetson vs. Kennesaw State
Doubles
KSU (Peranovic / Walters) def. SU (Verlaguet / Mandla) 6–4
KSU (Hudson / Ducariu) def. SU (Sarda / Padilla Cote) 6–4
KSU (Weingarten / Rietkerk) def. SU (Kuehne / Stanisavljevic) 6–4
KSU (Ferrer / Vladimirov) def. SU (Saura / Maftei) 7–6
Singles
Verlaguet (SU) def. Hudson (KSU) 6–1, 6–4
Peranovic (KSU) def. Sarda (SU) 3–6, 6–4, 10–5
Weingarten (KSU) def. Stanisavljevic (SU) 6–4, 6–3
Kuehne (SU) def. Ducariu (KSU) 7–5, 4–6, 10–8
Walters (KSU) def. Maftei (SU) 2–6, 6–4, 10–3
Padilla Cote (SU) def. Vladimirov (KSU) 7–5, 6–1
Saura (SU) def. Ferrer (KSU) 6–3, 7–6
Rietkerk (KSU) def. Mandla (SU) 6–0, 2–6, 13–11
Additional Doubles Match vs. North Florida
SU (Verlaguet / Mandla) def. UNF (Benjamin Scott / Gabriel Piqueras) 6–2
Sunday – Stetson vs. North Florida (Doubles Only)
SU (Verlaguet / Mandla) def. UNF (Marques / Scott) 7–5
SU (Sarda / Saura) def. UNF (Pena / Deloziere) 6–2
SU (Padilla Cote / Kuehne) def. UNF (Portugal / Labbene) 6–1
SU (Stanisavljevic / Maftei) def. UNF (G. Piqueras / K. Piqueras) 6–3
This marks the final event of the fall season for the Hatters, who will return to action in the spring as they open dual match play.
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.
