KENOSHA, Wis. – Sophomore Connor Woolf (Evanston HS, Evanston, Ill.) pulled out a pulsating 3-6; 7-6; 6-3 win at number five singles to push Augustana into the championship match of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin men's tennis tournament. Woolf's win over Karl Wenzel provided the deciding point in Augustana's 5-4 victory over Wheaton on Friday, May 1 at the Smeds Tennis Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
 
The match was tied at 4-4 when Woolf pulled out his dramatic victory and moved the Vikings into the championship match against CCIW champion Carthage on Saturday, May 2 at 12:00 noon at the Smeds Tennis Center.
 
Augustana took a 2-1 lead coming out of doubles. Freshmen Samuel Totten (Normal University HS, Normal, Ill.) and Eric Pohl (Fremd HS, Palatine, Ill.) defeated Josh Ward and Wenzel 8-4 at number one. Woolf and junior Austin Schoeck (Alleman Catholic HS, Rock Island, Ill.) beat Brent Westergren and Derek Mumaw 8-5 at number three.
 
The number two team of senior Lawrence Palmer (Schiller International School, El Prat de Llobregat, Spain) and junior Harald Olsson (Hersby Gymnasium, Stockholm, Sweden) dropped an 8-6 decision to Justin Ancona and Matt Steiner at number two.
 
All three of the Vikings' wins in singles came in three-set matches.
 
Woolf's epic battle at number five clinched the victory but Palmer defeated Ward 6-3; 3-6; 7-5 at number one and Pohl beat Steiner 4-6; 6-3; 7-5 at number three before Woolf provided the clincher.
 
Totten dropped a 6-7; 2-6 decision to Ancona at number two and junior Patrick Lenz (Villanova Prep HS, Ojai, Calif.) lost to Lincoln Metz 2-6; 2-6 at number four. Schoeck fell 3-6; 3-6 at Mumaw at number six.
 
Augustana is now 14-12 overall and the win over Wheaton was the first against the Thunder since a 5-4 victory in 2011. Earlier this year the Vikings lost to Wheaton 5-4 on April 11. They played Carthage on April 18 in Kenosha and fell 8-1.