BURLINGTON, N.C. -- The nationally ranked North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops collected their third straight USA South Championship by defeating #2 Christopher Newport, 8-1, in the finals today. The Captains drop to 14-7 overall with the setback.

USA South Player of the Year Eric Shulman recorded the only point for CNU, coming from behind to take the match at No. 1 singles. Shulman dropped the first set to Antti Saari 6-2, but battled back for a 6-1 win in the second set. Then, in the third, the match would end up in a tiebreak, with Shulman escaping with a 7-6 (8-6) win.

N.C. Wesleyan jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead by winning all three doubles sets. CNU's Matthew King and Josef Manilla played the closest doubles match at No. 2, dropping an 8-5 decision to Viktor Selander and Clayton Sonn.

2011 USA South Tournament Men's Tennis Championship
#1 N.C. Wesleyan 8, #2 Christopher Newport 1
Doubles:
1. SAARI, Antti/KJELBERG, Robert (NCWC) def. SHULMAN, Eric/NELSON, Dusty (CNU) 8-2
2. SELANDER, Viktor/SONN, Clayton (NCWC) def. KING, Matthew/MANILLA, Josef (CNU) 8-5
3. PRATA, Marcelo/BERTSCH, Kieran (NCWC) def. HEYER, Gian/WIDING, Garrett (CNU) 8-2

Singles:
1. SHULMAN, Eric (CNU) def. SAARI, Antti (NCWC) 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8-6)
2. RUMYANTSEV, Alexey (NCWC) def. HEYER, Gianandrea (CNU) 6-0, 6-0
3. KJELBERG, Robert (NCWC) def. KING, Matthew (CNU) 6-0, 6-1
4. LEMONGO, Fred (NCWC) def. NELSON, Dusty (CNU) 6-3, 6-4
5. SONN, Clayton (NCWC) def. MANILLA, Josef (CNU) 6-2, 6-0
6. RIBBENSTEDT, Marcus (NCWC) def. SISON, Lorenzo (CNU) 6-0, 6-1

Match Notes:
#1 NC Wesleyan (
#2 CNU (14-7)
NC Wesleyan wins the 2011 USA South Championship