MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Birmingham-Southern men's tennis team was powered by a doubles sweep in an SAA Tournament Semifinal win over #3 Rhodes.

After a bye to the semifinals, the Panthers took full advantage of the rest day. No. 2 duo Sam Tolbert/Hallet Green got the first point of the day with a dominant 8-2 win before No. 3 duo Ryan King/Ryan Pearlman doubled the advantage with an 8-3 victory. The Panthers looked to complete the sweep, and No. 1 duo Tanner DeBardelaben/Tom Smith provided it. The team had an emphatic 8-3 win to take a commanding 3-0 lead into singles. 

The Panthers fell in the first completed singles match, but No. 2 Sam Tolbert put the Panthers within a point of the championship match with a 6-3, 6-4 win. Shortly after, No. 4 Tanner DeBardelaben put BSC back into the championship match after winning set three 6-4.

Final: Birmingham-Southern 5, Rhodes 1

Singles competition
1. Hallet Green (BSC) vs. Daniel Trudell (RHO) 7-5, 2-6, 4-1 unfinished
2. Sam Tolbert (BSC) def. Oliver Bonovich (RHO) 6-3, 6-4
3. Christian Mainlla (RHO) def. Ryan King (BSC) 6-4, 6-2
4. Tanner DeBardelaben (BSC) def. Paul Fridman (RHO) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
5. Tom Smith (BSC) vs. Nicholas Miloi (RHO) 7-6, 6-3, 1-0 unfinished
6. Ryan Pearlman (BSC) vs. Gabe Williams (RHO) 6-4, 4-6, 3-2 unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Tanner DeBardelaben/Tom Smith (BSC) def. Daniel Trudell/Christian Mainella (RHO) 8-3
2. Sam Tolbert/Hallet Green (BSC) def. Owen Kohler/Nicholas Milloi (RHO) 8-2
3. Ryan King/Ryan Pearlman (BSC) def. David Phillips/Gabe Williams (RHO) 8-3

Records
#2 Birmingham-Southern 15-7 (6-1 SAA), #3 Rhodes 11-7 (4-2 SAA)

Up Next
The Panthers will take on #1 seed Sewanee in the SAA title match tomorrow, April 28 at 9:00 a.m. in Murfreesboro.