FLORENCE – The second-seeded and No. 7-ranked Lander men's tennis team advanced in the Peach Belt Conference Tennis Tournament Friday when the Bearcats defeated seventh seeded and No. 30 USC Aiken, 5-0, in the quarterfinal round at the Dr. Eddie Floyd Florence Tennis Center.

Lander improves 15-2 overall, while USC Aiken drops to 11-7. Lander will face No. 3 Columbus State at 4 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals, while USCA goes to the backend of the bracket to meet No. 6 Francis Marion at 8 a.m.

The Bearcats opened the match by taking a 3-0 lead in doubles. Lander's No. 1 team of August Iwdal/Adam Jonsson def. Max Wichelhaus/Patrick Stiebinger (USCA) 8-3; No. 2 Paul-Henri Arrigoni/Vincent Verpeaux (LU) def. Andy Quirk/Bruno Orlandini (USCA) 8-5; and No. 3 Samuel Poutignat/Oscar Axellson (LU) def. Kevin Zerath/Ronan Reberac (USCA) 8-6.

In singles, play was halted after Lander won the needed two points to secure the win.

In No. 1 singles, Lander's Paul-Henri Arrigoni downed USCA's Kevin Zerath, 6-4, 6-4; at No. 2 Vincent Verpeaux (LU) vs. Patrick Stiebinger (USCA) 6-2, 5-5, unfinished; No. 3 Samuel Poutignat (LU) def. Ettore Damiani (USCA) 6-2, 6-2; No. 4 Oscar Axellson (LU) vs. Andy Quirk (USCA) 2-6, 4-4, unfinished; No. 5 Adam Jonsson (LU) vs. Lucas Gobbi (USCA) 6-3, 3-3, unfinished; and No. 6 Diego Zegarra (LU) vs. Bruno Orlandini (USCA) 6-1, 5-0, unfinished.