ROME, Ga. \u2014 The Hokies win the 2026 NIT Championship in exciting fashion over North Alabama, 4-2.<\/p>\n
With a 3-2 lead and two three-set matches remaining, Blake Hilsen<\/a> clinched the match with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 victory.<\/p>\n Hilsen won the NIT Championship MVP award after a 4-0 undefeated run in the tournament and winning the clinching match in both victories.<\/p>\n The Hokies took the doubles point to open the match, starting with a win from Hilsen and Eyal Shumilov<\/a>, 6-2. With the doubles point evened up, Ilyas Fahim<\/a> and Patrik Jurina<\/a> combined to win a tiebreaker 7-6 (6) to clinch the doubles point on Court No. 2.<\/p>\n Moving into singles, the Hokies and Lions were evenly split across first sets. Freshman Drew Fishback<\/a> tallied the Hokies’ second point of the match, breaking his opponent\u2019s serve to a 6-1, 6-3 victory.<\/p>\n Fahim rounded out an undefeated week, notching a win on Court No. 1 for his third victory of the week, 6-4, 6-3.<\/p>\n