BURLINGTON, N.C. -- For the third straight season, the USA South Men's Tennis Conference Championship will come down to N.C. Wesleyan College and Christopher Newport University. With a 7-2 defeat of third-seeded Averett University (8-5) today, the Captains (12-9) will look to unseat the three-time defending champion Bishops at 10:00 am on Sunday.

CNU and N.C. Wesleyan have combined for five of the six conference tournament championships in men's tennis.

On Saturday, the Captains pulled ahead 2-1 after doubles play, winning at No. 1 and 3. Eric Shulman and Matt King won 8-1 at the top spot while Thomas Whaling and rookie Will Sloan won 8-4 at the third position.

The two teams played some highly contested matches in singles action, but CNU pulled away with five wins for the final. Shulman, ranked No. 2 in the region in singles, picked off David Lembke (6-3, 6-4) in the top spot. King won at No. 3 over Jyri Hayrinen (6-1, 6-1) and Joey Manilla won over Andrey Yasyr at No. 4 (6-4, 7-5).

The other three matches all endured at least one set tiebreak. Robbie Wagner won 7-6 (7-0), 6-4 at No. 5, and Kyle Tobin suffered a first set loss before bouncing back at No. 6 (6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-0). Averett's lone win came at No. 2 singles, when Kirill Orlov edged Gian Heyer 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 1-0 (10-8).

CNU will now play in Sunday's USA South Championship match against the Bishops for the third straight year. N.C. Wesleyan is currently ranked 18th in the nation and fourth in the Atlantic South and the Captains are #10 in the region.


2012 USA South Men's Tennis Tournament Semifinals

Doubles
1. Eric Shulman-Matt King (CNU) def. David Lembke-Jyri Hayrinen (AU) 8-1
2. Kirill Orlov-Iliya Egorov (AU) def. Joey Manilla-Gian Heyer (CNU) 9-7
3. Will Sloan-Thomas Whaling (CNU) def. Andrey Yasyr-Mikhail Polyakov (AU) 8-4

Singles
1. Shulman (CNU) def. Lembke (AU) 6-3, 6-4
2. Orlov (AU) def. Heyer (CNU) 7-6 (7-4) 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)
3. King (CNU) def. Hayrinen (AU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Manilla (CNU) def. Yasyr (AU) 6-4, 7-5
5. Wagner (CNU) def. Polyakov (AU) 7-6 (7-0), 6-4
6. Tobin (CNU) def. Egorov (AU) 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-0

Match Notes
Averett: 8-5
Christopher Newport: 12-9
Doubles order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles order of finish: 3, 6, 1, 5, 4, 2
Attendance: 60