DURANT, Okla. -- The No. 37 Washburn men's tennis team won in dramatic fashion Saturday afternoon as they captured a huge 4-3 win against regional opponent No. 45 Southeastern Oklahoma State. The match went down to the wire and was decided in the final singles match played after the Ichabods fought back from barely losing the doubles point. Washburn concluded the regular season with a record of 13-6 and will compete next at the MIAA Tournament on April 27.
 
In addition to being ranked nationally, Southeastern Oklahoma State is currently ranked third in the Central Region. The loss drops the Savage Storm to 8-6 on the season.
 
Washburn trailed early after Southeastern Oklahoma State narrowly won the doubles point. The fourth-ranked duo of Alejandro Valarezo Plaza and Paul Haase shutout their No. 1 doubles opponents, 6-0. The Savage Storm responded and won the No. 2 match, 6-3. Chase Brill and Bradley Eidenmueller put up an incredible fight at the No. 3 spot but ultimately fell in a grueling 6-7 (13-15) decision.
 
The high level of competition carried over to singles action as the teams went back and forth winning matches. Raul-Alin Dicu put Washburn on the board with a 6-3, 6-4 win at the No. 2 slot. The Savage Storm answered with a straight set victory of their own at No. 3 singles. For the second time in as many days, Valarezo Plaza, the 18th ranked men's singles player, defeated a top-five nationally ranked player. Valarezo Plaza lost a close first set tiebreaker, but rallied back and took the second and third to complete the upset and take down the fifth-ranked Juan Scoppetta, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4.
 
With the match tied at 2-2, Southeastern Oklahoma won 6-4, 6-4 at the No. 5 line to lead the dual yet again. With their backs against the wall, the Ichabods had to win the final two matches and did just that. Eidenmueller knotted up the match again with his three set victory at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. It all came down to the No. 6 match. Brill lost the first set and was on the verge of defeat in the second set before coming out on top in the tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-3). He clinched the victory for the Ichabods with his third set 6-4 triumph.
 
The Ichabods head to the MIAA Tournament next week as the three seed and will take on the two seed Northwest Missouri in the semifinal round on Saturday, April 27 at 9 a.m. The tournament will be held at the Oklahoma City Tennis Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
 
Singles competition
1. #18 Valarezo Plaza,Alejandro (WU) def. #5 Scoppetta,Juan (SEOKSU) 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4
2. Dicu,Raul-Alin (WU) def. Nice,Ondrej (SEOKSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Lena,Sandro (SEOKSU) def. Haase,Paul (WU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Eidenmueller,Bradley (WU) def. Kruger,Danrich (SEOKSU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
5. Finet,Benjamin (SEOKSU) def. Roura Casi,Marc (WU) 6-4, 6-4
6. Brill,Chase (WU) def. Vuckovic,Milos (SEOKSU) 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
 
Doubles competition
1. #4 Haase,Paul/Valarezo Plaza,Alejandro (WU) def. Finet,Benjamin/Nice,Ondrej (SEOKSU) 6-0
2. Kruger,Danrich/Lena,Sandro (SEOKSU) def. Dicu,Raul-Alin/Roura Casi,Marc (WU) 6-3
3. Scoppetta,Juan/Vuckovic,Milos (SEOKSU) def. Brill,Chase/Eidenmueller,Bradley (WU) 7-6 (15-13)
 
Match notes
Washburn: 13-6; National ranking #37
Southeastern Oklahoma St.: 8-6; National ranking #45
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,3,1,5,4,6)