ROME, Ga.— Averett University men's tennis is headed to the USA South Conference Tournament championship match following Friday's 5-1 semifinal victory over Methodist University at the Rome Tennis Center.

East Division No. 2 seed Averett will face East Division No. 1 seed N.C. Wesleyan College in the finals on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Averett (14-4) made quick work of Methodist in Friday's semifinal. The Cougars swept all three doubles matches. At No. 1, the duo of sophomore Rufus Nurminen and freshman Martinho Goncalves won 8-6, and the tandem of freshman Shori Nishizoe and junior Jorge Figueroa won 8-4 at No. 3 doubles. Senior Stan Martheris and freshman Jay Trip finished off the sweep of doubles at No. 2 by outlasting the Monarchs 8-7 (7-2).

Goncalves cruised to his No. 6 singles win, 6-0, 6-0, to put the Cougars up 4-0. Nishizoe clinched it with his No. 5 singles victory, 6-1, 6-1. Methodist's only point of the match came at No. 1 singles, which finished moments after Nishizoe had the win to seal the match. All other singles matches went unfinished after Averett earned the win.

The Cougars will play in their first USA South finals since 2017 and fourth overall since the conference went to its current tournament format. Averett is seeking its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance as a team.