ABILENE, Texas – The 16th-ranked University of Texas at Tyler men’s tennis team won its second consecutive American Southwest Conference title on Sunday by defeating LeTourneau, 5-2, at McMurry’s Seidel-Swagerty Tennis Center in Abilene.

The Patriots will now advance to the NCAA Division III National Championship tournament for the second straight season.

UT Tyler, the top seed from the East Division, started the match by taking two of three doubles points from YellowJackets, the East’s No. 2 seed.

The duos of senior Dustin Phillips (Houston, Texas) and junior Davis Ashlock (Arlington, Texas) and senior Jordan Repsher (Friendswood, Texas) and junior Nick Kreines (Houston, Texas) gave the Patriots a 2-1 edge heading into singles play by winning their respective matches.

Phillips and Ashlock notched an 8-2 win at the top flight, while Repsher and Kreines won 8-4 at the third flight.

Sophomore Robert Sajovich (Austin, Texas) and freshman Andrew Reznik (Southlake, Texas) lost a 9-8 heartbreaker at No. 2 doubles by dropping the tie-break pro set, 9-7.

In singles play, Ashlock was first on the board for UT Tyler by winning his match at No. 3, 6-4, 6-2.

Phillips brought UT Tyler (19-6) one point closer to the title by winning his match at No. 1, 6-2, 6-0.

LeTourneau’s Paul Haney defeated Kreines at the fourth-spot, 6-4, 6-1, to tighten the team score at 4-2.

However, after dropping his first set 4-6, Sajovich took down Daniel Shidler at No. 2, 6-0, 6-0, to clinch the match victory for his team.

Ashlock, Phillips, Repsher, and Sajovich were all named to the All-Tournament team following the match, with Phillips being named as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

The Patriots will now await the decision of the NCAA selection committee on May 4 to learn their regional destination as well as their first round opponent.