EDMOND, Okla. – The No. 20 nationally-ranked Ichabod men's tennis team defeated the No. 2 GAC seed Southern Arkansas, 4-2, in the semifinal round of the MIAA/GAC Championship Tournament on Saturday. Washburn will go on to face No. 2 MIAA seed Northwest Missouri in the MIAA/GAC Championship on Sunday at 9 a.m.
 
After the Muleriders swept the Ichabods by 4-0 when they played each other on April 10, Washburn had something to prove in today's semifinal matchup. Playing to the clinching point, the Ichabods swept the doubles point as they won the doubles matches at No. 2 and No. 3 in order. At the middle spot, Paul Haase and Miquel Perez defeated their opposition by 6-3. The No. 3 duo of Daniel Bird and Raul-Alin Dicu then followed with a 6-4 victory to ensure the doubles point for the Ichabods. 
 
Washburn lost the first singles point as Marc Roura Casi fell to his Muleriders opponent at the bottom of the lineup. Perez helped the Ichabods get back on track as the 37th ranked singles player defeated his opponent at the No. 2 spot by set scores of 6-3, 6-2. No. 24 ranked singles player Dicu then took down Southern Arkansas' No. 34 ranked singles player Sander Jans at the top of the lineup by 6-3, 6-2. Haase then fell at the third spot, but Bradley Eidenmueller sealed the win for Washburn as he bested his opponent by 6-3, 6-4. The Ichabods got even with the Muleriders with the 4-2 victory.
 
The stage is set for the MIAA/GAC Championship as both MIAA teams advanced to the match. No. 1 MIAA seed Washburn defeated No. 2 GAC seed Southern Arkansas by 4-2 and No. 2 MIAA seed Northwest Missouri defeated No. 1 GAC seed Harding. In the last regular season match of the season, No. 20 Washburn overcame No. 23 Northwest Missouri, 4-3, in a first-place MIAA battle. The teams will now have a rematch in the Championship on Sunday at 9 a.m.