By Tim Glon

GAMBIER — No. 9-ranked Kenyon advanced to the regional finals with a 5-0 victory over Ohio Northern in the second round of the Central Regional of the NCAA III Men's Tennis Tournament Saturday afternoon at the Kenyon Athletic Center.

The Polar Bears end their season at 18-5, while the Lords advance to the regional finals with a record of 24-1.

Kenyon will take on No. 16-ranked Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) Sunday at 1 pm for the Central Region championship and a trip to the NCAA Championships May 13-18 at lewiston, Maine.

Northern advanced to the second round of the tournament with a 5-1 victory over Transylvania (Ky.) on Friday.

That victory was its first in NCAA Tournament play for ONU in only its second appearance, as the Polar Bears also participated in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, falling to DePauw (Ind.) in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Senior Bart Schenck was leading his match at No. 2 singles, winning the first set 7-6(5), when the contest ended.

Kenyon swept the doubles matches to take a 3-0 lead into singles play.

Schenck and senior Micah Scott battled back from a 5-2 deficit to tie the match at 6-6 before falling 8-6 at No. 1 doubles.

No. 16-ranked Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) topped No. 27-ranked Kalamazoo (Mich.) 5-2 Saturday morning in the other second round contest.

Today's match was the last at Ohio Northern for seniors Scott, Schenck, Todd Anderson, Thomas Major and Kyle Webb.

Scott ends his career as ONU's all-time career leader in overall wins and doubles wins.

He 138-50 overall, is 75-21 in doubles and is 63-29 in singles. He ranks No. 3 all-time with his 63 wins.

This season is was 16-9 in singles, 23-5 in doubles and 39-14 overall.

Schenck ended the 2008 season 19-5 in singles, 24-5 in doubles and 43-10 overall. In his career, he is 50-20 in singles, 62-19 in doubles and is 112-39 overall.

he ranks fifth with his 62 doubles wins and is seventh with his 112 overall wins.

Anderson finished his career 31-21 in singles, 31-25 in doubles and 62-46 overall. This season, he was 7-6 in singles, 3-5 in doubles and 10-11 overall.

Major was 0-1 in singles, 13-8 in doubles and 13-9 overall in 2008. In his three seasons as a Polar Bear, he was 15-9 in singles, 39-23 in doubles and 54-32 overall.

Webb finished his three seasons on the varsity with a 33-22 singles record, a 2-4 doubles mark and a 35-26 overall record. This season he was 12-9 in singles.