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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore Diogo Soares won the decisive match at No. 5 singles to lift the Eastern Kentucky University men's tennis team to a 4-3 win over Jacksonville State in the OVC Tournament semifinals Saturday afternoon. The Colonels advance to play No. 3 seed Austin Peay in the championship match.
 
"We've been down and out in numerous matches this year, but have continued to fight," EKU head coach Rob Oertel said. "Just like our women, our guys have a lot of confidence that they can win these type of matches."
 
Jacksonville State, the No. 4 seed, picked up the doubles point with come-from-behind wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. The Gamecocks (11-12) fought off a couple of match points at No. 3 doubles before winning that contest in a tiebreaker.
 
Sophomore Sebastian Mueller (No. 4), freshman Ramon van Flymen (No. 2) and senior Juanjo de la Llera (No. 6) each won in straight sets to put the top-seeded Colonels (17-7) ahead, 3-2.
 
However, JSU's Jeff Wendler-Filho evened the score with a three-set triumph at No. 1 singles.
 
Soares finally ended the match when he broke Jared Reese in the 10th game of the second set. The lefty has won five of his last six singles matches.
 
EKU's lone OVC loss in 2015 came at the hands of Austin Peay on March 28, 5-2. Tomorrow's championship match is set to begin at 2 p.m. ET.

2015 OVC Tournament - Semifinals
No. 1 Eastern Kentucky 4, No. 4 Jacksonville State 3
 
Singles
1. Jeff Wendler-Filho (JSU) def. Alex Álvaro (EKU) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
2. Ramon van Flymen (EKU) def. Dylan Gee (JSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Mathias Chaim (JSU) def. Daridge Saidi (EKU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Sebastian Mueller (EKU) def. Pedro Wagner (JSU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Diogo Soares (EKU) def. Jaryd Reese (JSU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Juanjo de la Llera (EKU) def. Felipe Wenzel (JSU) 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Wagner/Wendler-Filho (JSU) def. de la Llera/Mueller (EKU) 8-6
2. Álvaro/Asis (EKU) def. Diaz/Reese (JSU) 8-2
3. Chaim/Gee (JSU) def. Soares/van Flymen (EKU) 8-7 (7)
 
Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (17-7); Jacksonville State (12-13)
Order of Finish: Doubles (2, 1, 3*); Singles (4, 3, 2, 6, 1, 5*)