Top-seeded and No. 56-ranked Old Dominion successfully defended its Sun Belt Conference Tournament title with a 4-2 win over second-seeded Georgia Southern on Easter Sunday afternoon at the Rome Tennis Center in Rome, Ga.
The Monarchs (17-8) knocked off the Eagles (18-7) for a second straight year in the championship match. Georgia Southern ends the season with its best winning percentage since 1987 (.720) and the most wins in a season since 2017.
Old Dominion claimed the doubles point in the match with 6-3 wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles.
In singles play, the Monarchs took a 3-0 lead with straight-set singles wins at No. 2 and No. 6 singles.
But the Eagles battled back to close to within one as Pol del Castillo notched a 6-4, 7-6 (3) win over Codie van Schalkwyk at No. 3 singles, then Pierre Mouesca earned a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win over Yanis Moundir at No. 4 singles. And with Dimitris Paliouras leading in his third set against SBC Playe of the Year Cosme Rolland de Ravel, the Monarchs were able to close out the win at No. 5 singles.
In a post-match ceremony, senior Pol del Castillo was honored with the Elite award as the top academic student-athlete in the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Men's Tennis Championship match.
The Eagles graduate five seniors - Castillo, Lauren Julia Calac, Paliouras, Alex Amacher and Alex Suk - and will return four student-athletes for the 2025-26 campaign.
#56 Old Dominion 4, Georgia Southern 2
Results
Singles
1. Dimitris Paliouras (GS) led Cosme Rolland de Ravel (ODU) 4-6, 6-2, 3-1, unfinished
2. #123 Connor van Schalkwyk (ODU) def. Aaron James Williams (GS) 6-2, 6-2
3. Pol del Castillo (GS) def. Codie van Schalkwyk (ODU) 6-4, 7-6 (3)
4. Pierre Mouesca (GS) def. Yanis Moundir (ODU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
5. Jean-Karim Olivier de Sardan (ODU) def. Laurent Julia Calac (GS) 7-6 (4), 7-5
6. Aryan Saleh (ODU) def. Matthew Mitchell (GS) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
1. #84 Codie van Schalkwyk/Connor van Schalkwyk (ODU) def. Laurent Julia Calac/Aaron James Williams(GS) 6-3
2. Cosme Rolland de Ravel/Adam Majchrzak (ODY) def. Pol del Castillo/Dimitris Paliouras (GS) 6-3
3. Pierre Mouesca/Matthew Mitchell (GS) and Yanis Moundir/Jean-Karim Olivier de Sardan (ODU) 5-5, unfinished
