Sac State?s men?s tennis program is getting accustomed to winning conference championships, as they notched another Big Sky Conference title this past weekend.This marked the third conference championship for the Hornets in the past four years. Sac State finished out the season 20-2, and winners of its last eight.

Sunday, Sac State defeated Northern Arizona, 5-1, in the championship game, and the Hornets downed Montana State, 4-0, Saturday afternoon.

Sunday?s contest had many question marks regarding how the Hornets were going to play because of several injuries hobbling some players.

“It wasn?t easy, we were depleted,” head coach Chris Evers said. “It makes it a little more special. It feels good, real good.”

Play on Sunday started with doubles competition, where Sac State won two of the matches to gain the doubles point. Winning the doubles point allowed the team to win only three of the six singles matches, giving the team an easier route to victory. Evers believed this was a good start for the team.

“It took a little bit of pressure off us,” Evers said.

In the number one doubles match, junior Sherif Zaher and senior Joseph Gilbert defeated their opponents, 8-4, while the other doubles victory came in the number three match where sophomores Nick Sheehan and Sylvain Iff teamed up to win, 8-3. The number two match did not finish, as the Hornets already won the point.

“It?s always big getting the doubles point,” Gilbert said. “We (Zaher) have been on fire in doubles as a team.”

The Hornets, already ahead 1-0, needed to win only three singles matches, but won four to win, 5-1. The Hornets were able to win the numbers one, three, four and six matches.Zaher defeated his opponent, 6-1, 7-6. Zaher knew that it was important that he play well because of some teammates being hobbled by injuries.

“We had two players that were injured, so I knew I had to play my best,” Zaher said. “It could have come down to my match, so I wanted to win and help the team.”

In the number three match, senior Chris Smith beat his opponent, 6-3, 6-4, while Gilbert decimated his opponent, 6-3, 6-0, in the number four match. In the sixth singles spot, senior Kevin Vieira was able to defeat his opponent, 7-5, 6-4. Evers stated that Vieira was not even going to play Sunday because of a foot injury, but kept the senior in and came away with the win.

“He (Vieira) wasn?t even going to play,” Evers said. “But he guaranteed me he was going to win.”

Before Sac State could get into the championship match, the Hornets had to get past Montana State. This seemed to be no problem for the Hornets, as they won, 4-0. Last year, Montana State defeated the Hornets in the conference championships. Evers could still remember that loss, and was ready to play them again.

“I wanted to play them for that reason, but it was not my motivating factor,” Evers said. “They are not as strong as they were last year.”

Indeed that proved to be the case, as Sac State got in the win column early, and once again winning the doubles point. The Hornets won the one and three doubles matches. Zaher and Gilbert won, 8-1, and so did the number three team of Iff and Vieira.

In singles play, the production came from the bottom half of the singles competition. The numbers four, five, and six singles players cruised in straight sets, allowing the other matches to cease. Gilbert won, 6-1, 6-2, while Iff won convincingly, 6-1, 6-1. In the last match, Sheehan won, 6-0, 6-2.

By winning the Big Sky Conference, the Hornets claimed an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament May 10 through 12.

The Hornets will be the underdog in the NCAA, and according to Evers, he wouldn?t want it any other way.

“We have nothing to lose. We will be in the underdog role. There will be no pressure on us.”