Tennis court at Betty Siegel Courts. Photo by Tyler Russ
Kennesaw State’s tennis season ended this weekend at the Conference USA tournament with a men’s 4-2 loss to Delaware and a women’s 4-1 loss to Liberty at Middle Tennessee’s Outdoor Tennis Center.
Both squads entered the tournament with strong positioning in the standings but ultimately saw their seasons come to a close short of the semifinal round.
KSU’s women’s team entered the championship as the No. 3 seed, reflecting its consistent regular season that placed them among the conference’s top contenders.
Opening play in the quarterfinals, the Owls faced No. 6 seed Liberty in a tightly contested matchup. Despite strong individual performances, KSU fell 4-1, ending its postseason run earlier than expected.
The match turned early with Liberty securing the doubles point, winning on courts one and two to take the initial advantage. From there, the Lady Flames maintained control in singles play, clinching victories on multiple courts to seal the win.
KSU’s lone point came from a strong showing at No. 1 singles, where Ema Baraniakova delivered a straight-set victory, showcasing the talent that helped the Owls throughout the season.
Despite the loss, the women’s team demonstrated competitiveness throughout the match, with several singles contests extending deep into deciding sets. The narrow margins reflected the team’s capability of contending at the top of the conference, even if the final score did not fully capture the intensity of the contest.
On the men’s side, KSU entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed and faced No. 5 seed the Blue Hens in the opening round. In a tightly fought duel, the Owls were defeated 4-2, bringing their season to a close.
The match followed a similar script to the women’s contest, with KSU falling behind after dropping the doubles point. Losses on courts two and three gave Delaware early momentum, forcing the Owls to play from behind for the remainder of the match.
KSU responded in singles play with impressive performances from Leon Peranovic and Nathan Walters. Both earned straight-set victories to keep the match within reach. However, the Blue Hens ultimately secured wins on the remaining courts, clinching the match and advancing to the semifinals.
While the result marked an early exit, the Owls’ effort highlighted their resilience. The team remained competitive across multiple courts, with several matches extending into decisive moments before swinging in Delaware’s favor.
Overall, the 2026 CUSA Tennis Championships reflected both promise and unfinished business for KSU. The women’s team, entering as a top-three seed, showed it could compete with any opponent in the conference, while the men’s team demonstrated depth and fight against a closely matched field.
