CLEVELAND - For just the second time in program history, Franciscan men's tennis advanced past the first round of the NCAA tournament, defeating Grove City 5-2. 

"The guys played really well, they had a competitive match," head coach Jeremy Ellis said. "Grove City beat us during the season so we knew it was going to be tough, but we had our game plan, we went in and we executed. It's the second time ever winning in the first round. No other sports have ever won the first round at Franciscan. It's good for the school."

It was the second meeting between the Barons and the Wolverines this season as Grove City won 5-4 in the first matchup back in September. With a trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament on the line, the Barons were determined to redeem themselves in this rematch.

Sophomores John Gallagher and Jarek Sulak struggled at the start of their No. 1 doubles match, losing eight straight points to start before turning the match around to win 8-4 for the Barons first point.

Just a few minutes later, sophomore Connor Jooste and freshman Richard Watson dropped their No. 3 doubles match and Grove City tied the match at 1-1.

With seniors David Freytag and Zachary Quiza left on court No. 2, Ellis knew that taking a 2-1 lead heading into singles would be crucial to the Barons overall success. The seniors were battling the Wolverines, trading games back and forth until the Barons broke to go up 7-5. Grove City broke Quiza's serve to bring the match to 7-6 but the seniors broke back to win the match 8-6 and send Franciscan up 2-1 heading into singles play.

"We wanted to go up 3-0 in doubles but going up 2-1 was a hopeful situation and we got it," Ellis said. "Jarek and John turned No. 1 doubles around, played really well and closed that out. David and Zack closing their [match] out help[ed] going into singles. Starting singles 2-1 gives people confidence."

Sulak, Freytag and Watson had quick starts during singles play, jumping out to large leads on all three courts. Meanwhile, Jooste struggled at No. 5 singles, giving Grove City its second point and tied the match at 2-2.

"Immediately, I thought we would get our points from Jarek, David and RJ," Ellis said. "They were all winning quickly. Waiting on those three points to happen, Connor lost his."

Out of nowhere, Gallagher clinched Franciscan's third point with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles.

"All of a sudden, John just turned his match around," Ellis said. "He played fantastic. He came out and got the first singles point to put us up 3-2. We were just waiting on Zack, Jarek, David and RJ to see who was going to win."

Sulak walked off the court next with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles to bring Franciscan within one point of the second round of the tournament.

"Jarek closed out, he also played well," Ellis said. "It was good for Jarek to pull that out. Then it came down to Zack, David and RJ."

After Sulak won his match, each of the three remaining Barons were within two games of winning the fifth point. Watson was already in his third set at that point after winning the first set 6-1 and losing the second set 6-3. Like the conference championship match against Penn St.-Behrend, the freshman clinched the fifth and deciding point once again, winning 6-3 in the third set. 

"I was secretly rooting for RJ since he got our fifth point at conference," Ellis said. "He played one of the best first sets I've ever seen. Second set, he just got tight. He's one of those players that plays better when the odds are against him. When things started to get tight, he dropped his second set but he came back out and played solid in the third to pull out the fifth point for us."

Franciscan advances to the second round of the tournament for the second time in school history. The first time was back in 2013 when the Barons beat Elizabethtown 5-0 but then fell to Kenyon 5-0 in the second round.

The Barons will take on host Case Western Reserve in the second round on Saturday, May 14, at 11 a.m.

"Case is going to be tough," Ellis said. "They've had an incredible year and have incredible talent. It's just going to be fun to see that kind of tennis and play against that kind of tennis."