Game: East No. 3 seed Averett vs. East No. 1 seed N.C. Wesleyan College
Setting: Saturday, April 27 at 2 p.m. at the USA South Conference Tournament in LaGrange, Ga.
Tournament Links:    Website    |     Bracket   
The Series: Averett is 6-13 against N.C. Wesleyan dating back to 2000. The Cougars haven't won in the series since 2009.
Averett at a Glance: The Cougars are on a hot streak, winning eight of their last nine matches, currently holding a 13-5 (6-2 USA South) record. The win over West No. 2-seeded Huntingdon College on Friday was the first victory in a conference tournament game since 2010.
N.C. Wesleyan at a Glance: The Battling Bishops are currently on an 11-match winning streak, sporting a 13-4 (7-0 USA South) record on the year. In the opening round of the tournament, N.C. Wesleyan picked up a 5-0 win over West No. 4-seeded LaGrange College.
Standout Season: Averett has steadily improved over the last few seasons, finishing .500 or better in conference play for the fourth straight season. Additionally, this is the first time the Cougars have finished with an overall winning record since 2000.
Presence in Tournament: After not qualifying the previous four years, the Cougars have turned the tide and are making their third consecutive appearance in the USA South Conference Tournament. Since the tournament went to a single-elimination bracket format, Averett made one appearance in the semifinals, which came in 2009. This will be the program's second appearance in the semifinals after winning on Friday.
All-Conference Selections: For the fourth straight year, senior Heidi Sarkkinen was named the USA South Player of the Year and was a USA South All-Conference First Team selection. Ranked No. 21 in the nation and No. 15 in the region, Sarkkinen went 21-2 in singles play and 19-3 in doubles play to put an exclamation point on one of the best careers in program history. Sophomore Eleanor Crane and freshman Inka Zeilstra were also named to the USA South All-Conference First Team. Primarily playing No. 2 singles, Crane went 15-5 in singles play and 19-3 in doubles play, teamed with Sarkkinen in the No. 1 slot. Meanwhile, Zeilstra went 12-6 in primarily playing No. 3 singles and 13-6 in spending most of her time at No. 2 doubles.