NASHVILLE, Tenn. –  The EKU men's tennis team will have a chance to defend its Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship on Sunday after picking up a 4-1 win over Belmont University in Saturday's semifinal match at the Centennial Sportsplex.
 
"One down and one to go for us," Head Coach Rob Oertel said.
 
EKU will take on the 2016 regular season champion, Tennessee Tech, in Sunday's championship match. Sunday's match is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET.
 
The Colonels (19-11) fell behind 1-0 after the Bruins won the doubles point, but EKU staged a rally to take four straight singles points to advance.
 
Sophomore Ramon van Flymen rolled to a 6-4, 6-0 win at the No. 1 spot to even the score at one apiece, before Diogo Soares tallied his 14th straight singles win to give the Colonels a 2-1 advantage.
 
Senior Florian Graskamp rallied with a third set win at No. 6 to put the Colonels within one of a chance to defend their title. Graskamp dropped the second set but cruised to a convincing 6-0 win the third to give EKU a 3-1 lead.
 
Senior Alex Álvaro and freshman Guillem Sanchis both led in their respective matches, but it was Sanchis' win at the No. 3 spot that proved to be the deciding match.
 
"We came here to win the tournament and that's one step to go and I feel we're going to get it done tomorrow in a revenge match," Oertel said. "We're notorious for playing our best tennis at the tournament and today we showed it and I'm confident we're going to show it again tomorrow."
 
The Colonels have won four OVC Tournament titles under Oertel.
 
Eastern Kentucky University 4, Belmont 1

1. Ramon van Flymen (EKU) def. Cedric Dujacquier (BELM) 6-4, 6-0
2. Alex Álvaro (EKU) vs. Robin Demasse (BELM) 6-4, 5-5, unfinished
3. Guillem Sanchis (EKU) def. Zak Khan (BELM) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
4. Sebastian Mueller (EKU) vs. Adam Rudowski (BELM) 4-6, 7-6, 0-1, unfinished
5. Diogo Soares (EKU) def. Stephen Goldman (BELM) 6-4, 6-4
6. Florian Graskamp (EKU) def. Bruno Russo (BELM) 6-3, 2-6, 6-0

1. Cedric Dujacquier/Robin Demasse (BELM) def. Alex Álvaro/Sebastian Mueller (EKU) 6-2
2. Ramon van Flymen/Diogo Soares (EKU) vs. Zak Khan/Stephen Goldman (BELM) 5-4, unfinished
3. Adam Rudowski/Bruno Russo (BELM) def. Guillem Sanchis/Diego Asis (EKU) 6-2

Match Notes:Order of finish: Doubles (1,*3); Singles (1,5,6,*3)