Rice University Athletics
Friday, April 17
Tulsa, Okla.
10 AM
Rice University
4
vs
1
Tulane
No. 1 Seed Owls Down No. 9 Tulane in American Conference Championship Quarterfinals
4/17/2026 2:06:00 PM | Men's Tennis
TULSA – The No. 1-seeded Rice men's tennis team advanced to the semifinals with a 4-1 win over No. 9-seeded Tulane in the American Conference Championship on Friday.
The No. 49 Owls (14-7) secured their 17th doubles point of the season and defeated Tulane for the second time this year.
Rice took the early advantage by clinching the doubles point, on Court 3 Tommy Czaplinski and Rafael Botran defeated Alec Gaudin and AJ Mercer, 6-3. To secure the point, the No. 57-ranked duo of Petro Kuzmenok and Santiago Navarro topped No. 37-ranked Daniel Phillips and Lance Nisbet, 6-4. Yair Sarouk and Kabeer Kapasi led 5-4 on Court 2 when play was halted.
Tulane evened the match at 1-1 after Phillips defeated Kuzmenok, 6-1, 6-2, on Court 1. Botran responded with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Gaudin, and Navarro followed with a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Asaf Friedler on Court 2.
Noey Do clinched the match for the Owls with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Steven Rice.
On the remaining courts, Kapasi led 5-0 in the final set after splitting the first two, 3-6, 6-0. Gabriel Porras had evened his match at one set apiece, 4-6, 6-3.
Rice will face No. 4 seed North Texas in the semifinals at noon Saturday. The matchup marks the first meeting between the two teams this season.
DOUBLES
#57 P. Kuzmenok/S. Navarro (RICE) def. #37 D. Phillips/L. Nisbet (TU) 6-4
Y. Sarouk/K. Kapasi (RICE) vs H. El Kordy/A. Friedler (TU) 5-4 uf
T. Czaplinksi/R. Botran (RICE) def. A. Gaudin/A. Mercer (TU) 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1
SINGLES
P. Daniel (TU) def. #53 P. Kuzmenok (RICE) 6-1, 6-2
S. Navarro (RICE) def. A. Friedler (TU) 6-2, 6-2
R. Botran (RICE) def. A. Gaudin (TU) 6-2, 6-3
K. Kapasi (RICE) vs H. El Kordy (TU) 3-6, 6-0, 5-0 uf
G. Porras (RICE) vs A. Delgadillo (TU) 4-6, 6-3 uf
N. Do (RICE) def. S. Rice (TU) 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2, 6
The No. 49 Owls (14-7) secured their 17th doubles point of the season and defeated Tulane for the second time this year.
Rice took the early advantage by clinching the doubles point, on Court 3 Tommy Czaplinski and Rafael Botran defeated Alec Gaudin and AJ Mercer, 6-3. To secure the point, the No. 57-ranked duo of Petro Kuzmenok and Santiago Navarro topped No. 37-ranked Daniel Phillips and Lance Nisbet, 6-4. Yair Sarouk and Kabeer Kapasi led 5-4 on Court 2 when play was halted.
Tulane evened the match at 1-1 after Phillips defeated Kuzmenok, 6-1, 6-2, on Court 1. Botran responded with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Gaudin, and Navarro followed with a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Asaf Friedler on Court 2.
Noey Do clinched the match for the Owls with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Steven Rice.
On the remaining courts, Kapasi led 5-0 in the final set after splitting the first two, 3-6, 6-0. Gabriel Porras had evened his match at one set apiece, 4-6, 6-3.
Rice will face No. 4 seed North Texas in the semifinals at noon Saturday. The matchup marks the first meeting between the two teams this season.
DOUBLES
#57 P. Kuzmenok/S. Navarro (RICE) def. #37 D. Phillips/L. Nisbet (TU) 6-4
Y. Sarouk/K. Kapasi (RICE) vs H. El Kordy/A. Friedler (TU) 5-4 uf
T. Czaplinksi/R. Botran (RICE) def. A. Gaudin/A. Mercer (TU) 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1
SINGLES
P. Daniel (TU) def. #53 P. Kuzmenok (RICE) 6-1, 6-2
S. Navarro (RICE) def. A. Friedler (TU) 6-2, 6-2
R. Botran (RICE) def. A. Gaudin (TU) 6-2, 6-3
K. Kapasi (RICE) vs H. El Kordy (TU) 3-6, 6-0, 5-0 uf
G. Porras (RICE) vs A. Delgadillo (TU) 4-6, 6-3 uf
N. Do (RICE) def. S. Rice (TU) 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2, 6
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Daniel Phillips / 0 [TLN]
66
12
#2 Singles Match
12
Asaf Friedler / 0 [TLN]
22
66
#3 Singles Match
12
Alec Gaudin / 0 [TLN]
23
66
#4 Singles Match
1234
Hady ElKordy / 0 [TLN]
600UF
365UF
#5 Singles Match
123
Andres Delgadillo / 0 [TLN]
63UF
46UF
#6 Singles Match
12
Steven Rice / 0 [TLN]
24
66
Order of Finish:
1,3,2,6
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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