MOBILE, Ala. – The No. 24 Loyola Wolf Pack men's tennis team was back in the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship semifinal for the first time since 2019. Taking on the top seed, No. 7-ranked William Carey, the Wolf Pack lost 4-0 on Friday to conclude the 2025 spring season.
Loyola finishes with an 8-10 overall record, tied for the most wins by the men's tennis team in the last seven seasons.
The doubles point could've gone either way, with Carey starting out doubles with a court 3 win, but Remus Hebhang-Balan and Samuel Motazed winning 6-3 on court 1. The point came down to court 2 doubles. Sam Izrael and Jett Nguyen had match point at 5-4, but the Crusaders came back to win 7-5 and claim the doubles point.
William Carey finished the match by winning on singles courts 1, 4, and 6. Sam Izrael won the second set in his match to head to a deciding third, but Carey had clinched the match to leave the court 2 singles match unfinished.
"I could not be prouder of this team and the effort this week at the SSAC Championships. We represented Loyola with class, competitiveness and intensity. We completely embodied our core values. Mental and physical toughness. Believing in yourself. Playing for each other.
William Carey played well and deserved the win. We left it all on the court today, and we leave with our heads high and excited for what we're building in the future."
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Results
No. 24 Loyola – 0
No. 7 William Carey – 4
Doubles
1. Hebhang-Balan/Motazed (LOYNO) def. #27 Orynbassar/Hayriddinov (WCU) 6-3
2. Orynbassar/Hayriddinov (WCU) def. Izrael/Nguyen (LOYNO) 7-5
3. Leblanc/Shearer (WCU) def. De Preville/Gallegos (LOYNO) 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
1. #12 Islam Orynbassar (WCU) def. Remus Hebhang-Balan (LOYNO) 6-1, 6-4
2. Sam Izrael (LOYNO) vs. #23 Matt Shearer (WCU) 3-6, 6-3, 1-0, unfinished
3. Hippolyte de Preville (LOYNO) vs. #58 Artur Ibragimov (WCU) 4-6, 6-5, unfinished
4. Phil Louis Steinbichler (WCU) def. Spencer Matz (LOYNO) 6-3, 6-2
5. Alfredo Gallegos (LOYNO) vs. Jean Nicolas Leblanc (WCU) 4-6, 4-5, unfinished
6. Ismoil Hayriddinov (WCU) def. Jett Nguyen (LOYNO) 6-4, 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 4, 6
