FEATURE: Catahan Steps Up On Big Stage, Leads Ferris State Men's Tennis To GLIAC Championship In Thrilling Fashion

By Sandy Gholston

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – With the GLIAC's regular-season championship on the line and the match tied 3-3 against Wayne State, Adrian Catahan rose to the challenge.

With the other singles and doubles matches completed, all eyes were on his court in the Racquet and Fitness Center on Saturday (April 18), taking in a marathon match with both sides hanging on every point.

"It was nerve-wracking, very nerve-wracking," said Catahan, who was playing at No. 5 singles, with an opportunity to clinch the championship in the day's final match. "I knew that my teammates were there for me. Tennis is an individual sport in a lot of ways, but it was great having my teammates there. It's something that can keep you going."

The sophomore from North Bay, Ontario, added, "There's nothing like knowing your teammates are there to support you, that they want you to succeed. The chemistry we have as a team is amazing."

Catahan trailed 4-1 in the third set. That's when his big rally started. A late break, sparked by a beautiful shot against an opponent who had been serving well throughout the match, gave him the opportunity to win—and he did, taking a 7-5 victory in the deciding set to lift the Bulldogs to a 4-3 win.

"That was mind-blowing," he said. "I didn't even really think about hitting that shot. It just came naturally. I could probably make that shot only once in 10 tries. I got that one shot."

He dropped the first set 7-5, before rallying to win set two 6-2, and then winning the third set in a tightly contested battle to outlast Wayne State's Benjamin Hill, putting everyone on the edge of their seats.

"There was definitely a lot of pressure coming into this match," Catahan said, knowing a Bulldog loss could have led to a three-way tie with Ferris State, Wayne State and Grand Valley State atop the GLIAC standings to close the regular season.

Head coach Mark Doren was impressed with what he witnessed.

"I can't say enough about Adrian Catahan and his unwavering belief in his abilities today," he said. "With the match tied 3-3, Adrian was down 4-1 in the third set and came back to win 7-5 to clinch the victory."

Catahan knew what they were up against.

"We knew what Wayne State could bring. It's been a rivalry and we've had some good matches with them," he said. "We knew that they were going to come in very strong, especially not getting the result that they wanted against GV."

He added, "We all knew that they wanted to get the win over us. And what can I say? It was for the conference title. It was now or never for us."

As it turned out, it was now.

With the win, Ferris State adds another chapter to its storied men's tennis tradition—one defined by resilience, composure and a defining moment under pressure.

"It's incredible," Catahan said. "Honestly, I have no words to say—just incredible, and I'm really looking forward to more Ferris State tennis, this year and upcoming years."