The No. 1-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College men's tennis team has returned to the championship match of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association NAIA Indoor National Championships following Saturday's resounding 4-0 victory against No. 5 seed Westcliff University (California) in Overland Park, Kansas.

CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

The Grizzlies, the tournament's top seed, will now face No. 2 seed Tennessee Wesleyan University for the title on Sunday, February 4, starting at 4 p.m. Tennessee Wesleyan defeated No. 3 seed University of Northwestern Ohio 4-3 in the other semifinal.

GGC received strong contributions from the top of the doubles and singles lineups to sweep its semifinal match.

The No. 1 doubles pairing of senior Alex Gurmendi and sophomore Santiago Villarruel captured the last three games to defeat Westcliff's Max Mueller and Felix Veyhle 6-3. Then, senior Aleksa Ciric and freshman Luis Francisco Sampedro clinched the doubles point behind a 6-3 victory on the No. 3 court.

In singles, Gurmendi quickly extended the team's match advantage to 2-0 by defeating Veyhle in straight sets (6-2, 6-3) on the No. 1 court. Ciric followed with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Borna Devald at No. 2 singles for the third point.

Senior Charly Zick secured the dual match victory with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles.

GGC has now won 20 straight matches after playing in the finals of last year's ITA NAIA Indoor National Championships.
  "We played with intensity and looked solid out there today against a good team. We are looking to build we day and we're excited and ready to compete for another national championship tomorrow," said Head Coach Hannah Keeling.
  Georgia Gwinnett College advances to face No. 2 seed Tennessee Wesleyan University in the championship match on Sunday, February 4, from Overland Park, Kansas, starting at 4 p.m. Tennessee Wesleyan defeated No. 3 University of Northwestern Ohio 4-3 in Saturday's other semifinal match.