FLORENCE – The No. 3 seeded Columbus State men's tennis team won only one doubles match, but stormed back to claim four singles and upset second-seeded Lander Saturday afternoon, 5-4, in the semifinal round of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament at the Dr. Eddie Floyd Florence Tennis Center.
The No. 8-ranked Cougars improve to 17-2 overall, while No. 7-ranked Lander drops to 14-3.
Lander will face fourth-seeded Georgia College at noon Sunday in the consolation match, while Columbus State will battle top-seeded and defending national champion Armstrong Atlantic at noon in the championship match.
In singles, No. 1 Olivier Simonet (CSU) def. #17 Paul-Henri Arrigoni (LU) 6-2, 3-0, retired; No. 2 Vincent Verpeaux (LU) def. Gordan Divljak (CSU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2; No. 3 Quentin Rayniere (CSU) def. Samuel Poutignat (LU) 6-4, 6-3; No. 4 Marco Almorin (CSU) def. Oscar Axellson (LU) 6-4, 6-0; No. 5 Adam Jonsson (LU) def. Danilo Sardelli (CSU) 6-2, 6-3; and No. 6 Adi Malicbegovic (CSU) def. Diego Zegarra (LU) 3-6, 7-5, 7-5.
In doubles, Adam Jonsson/August Iwdal (LU) def. Marco Almorin/Olivier Simonet (CSU) 8-4; No. 2 Quentin Rayniere/Gordan Divljak (CSU) def. Paul-Henri Arrigoni/Vincent Verpeaux (LU) 9-8; and No. 3 Oscar Axelsson/Samuel Poutignat (LU) def. Danilo Sardelli/Adi Malicbegovic (CSU) 8-6.