ROME, Ga. - The No. 63-ranked and top-seeded Georgia Southern men's tennis team advanced to its first Sun Belt Conference Tournament men's tennis championship match with a 4-0 victory over fifth-seeded Louisiana on Saturday at the Rome Tennis Center in the semifinals.

The Eagles (15-8) will face the winner of second-seeded Old Dominion and third-seeded Georgia State at 1 p.m. on Sunday looking to claim it's first Sun Belt tournament title, its first NCAA Tournament berth and just the second men's tennis tournament title in school history, joining the 1994 Southern Conference champions. Louisiana sees its season come to a close with a 12-11 mark.

This is Georgia Southern's first appearance in a tournament title match since the 1987 TAAC Championship in which the Eagles fell to Little Rock, 5-1. The 1994 SoCon tournament title for Georgia Southern was a flighted tournament.

The Eagles came out strong in doubles, picking up a quick 6-1 win by Judson Blair and Pierre Mouesca over Vasil Dimitrov and Mason Landreth at No. 2 doubles. Pol del Castillo and Dimitris Paliouras then clinched the point with a 6-4 win over Alejandro Sanchez Gonzalez and Sacha Grandvincent at No. 1 doubles.

Georgia Southern kept up the pressure on the Ragin' Cajuns in singles, winning five of six first sets. The lead stretched to 2-0 with del Castillo's 6-2, 6-3 win over William Ribero at No. 2 singles, then Paliouras picked up a 6-3, 6-4 win over Gonzalez at No. 1 singles. Blair delivered the clinching victory with a 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over Samuel Kyjaci at No. 5 singles to send the Eagles to the final.

"This means a lot to Georgia Southern in general and the guys who have worked so hard this entire year," Georgia Southern head men's tennis coach Andrew Goodwin said about his team's first berth in a Sun Belt final. "Congrats to Louisiana, I'm a big fan of Luc [Louisiana head coach Luc Godin]. his guys play the right way and they compete together. I'm really pleased we get a shot to play another day."

"I think some's an understatement," Coach Goodwin said when asked about having some fans travel to the Rome Tennis Center for the match. "We had a lot of people come up today, whether they were Georgia Southern alumni, supporters of the program, and even my personal friends and family. It means a lot because it shows the pride that they have in this program and the people in it. We're on a great track right now, but we've got to get ready for tomorrow."

RESULTS
Singles
1. Dimitris Paliouras (GS) def. Alejandro Sanchez Gonzalez (LA) 6-3, 6-4
2. Pol del Castillo (GS) def. William Ribero (LA) 6-2, 6-3
3. Aaron James Williams (GS) and Vasil Dimitrov (LA) 4-6, 6-2, 4-4, unfinished
4. Pierre Mouesca (GS) led Oriol Fillat Gimenez (LA) 7-5, 3-3, unfinished
5. Judson Blair (GS) def. Samuel Kyjaci (LA) 7-6 (4), 6-2
6. Laurent Julia Calac (GS) led Leonard Tramolay (LA) 6-4, 6-6, unfinished

Doubles
1. Pol del Castillo/Dimitris Paliouras (GS) def. Alejandro Sanchez Gonzalez/Sacha Grandvincent (LA) 6-4
2. Judson Blair/Pierre Mouesca (GS) def. Vasil Dimitrov/Mason Landreth (LA) 6-1
3. Aaron James Williams/Laurent Julia Calac (GS) led William Ribero/Leonard Tramolay (LA) 5-4, unfinished