TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Lander men's tennis junior
Harry Pugh concluded his singles run at the ITA Division II Individual National Championships on Saturday, falling in the semifinals at the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center.
The second-seeded Pugh battled seventh-seeded Enrico Rosellini of Embry-Riddle, taking the opening set 6-3 before dropping a tightly contested second set in a tiebreak, 7-6 (5). Rosellini secured the victory with a 6-2 win in the deciding set, ending Pugh's run one victory shy of the national championship match.
Pugh entered Saturday's matchup following three consecutive straight-set victories, including a 6-2, 6-4 win over Manuel Lanteri of Embry-Riddle in Friday's quarterfinals.
The Bearcat opened national competition Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Khanh Nguyen of West Virginia Wesleyan before defeating Bora Bakici of Grand Valley State 6-2, 6-3 in Thursday's round of 16.
Pugh earned his spot at the national championships after finishing as the singles runner-up at the ITA Division II Southeast Regional Championships in October, marking his second consecutive appearance in the regional championship match.
The semifinal finish caps a strong national singles showing for Pugh, who advanced through three rounds without dropping a set to finish among the nation's final four competitors.
