Kearney, Neb. – The Rockhurst University Hawks (Mo.) swept the Nebraska-Kearney men's tennis team, 5-0, Wednesday afternoon in an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 match in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The Lopers, in the Sweet 16 for the third time in school history, end the year at 19-8 while 32nd-ranked Rockhurst (22-3) advances on to face Concordia (N.Y.) in the Elite Eight. RMAC champion Western New Mexico is still alive as well thanks to a 5-1 win over West Virginia Wesleyan.

Earlier this year at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, the Lopers lost 8-1 to Rockhurst but lost several close matches. Today, the Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead by winning 8-5 (No. 1), 8-4 (No. 2) and 8-3 (No. 3) in the doubles matches.

Sophomore Rodolfo Gauto-Mariotti, from Paraguay, tallied Rockhurst's first team point in singles by beating Grand Island sophomore John Steinke (6-2, 6-0) in the fourth spot. Polish freshman Pawel Grzegrzolka then secured the dual win with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over freshman Josh Smith (Independence, Mo.) at No. 6 singles.

Loper freshman Yeswanth Nadella (India) did win the second set at No. 2 singles, 6-1, before that match was stopped.

UNK is now 5-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Lopers should return in 2012 as there were no senior's on this year's team.