CHATTANOOGA, TENN. -- No. 3 Samford held off No. 2 Furman, 4-2, Friday in the Southern Conference Championship semifinals at the Champions Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Paladins conclude the season at 15-9 overall and 6-1 in league play.  The Bulldogs move to 8-13 overall and advance to Saturday's finals.

After Samford won the doubles point, Jamie Connel, the 2022 SoCon Freshman of the Year, topped Jim Hendrikx, 6-1, 6-1, to even the slate at 1-all.  Furman graduate student Drew Singerman, who was honored with the Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award, blew past Harrison Williams, 6-0, 6-3, at flight six to give the Paladins a 2-1 advantage.

The Bulldogs then scored at flight one, where M. Ali Bellalouna owned graduate student Ivan Mitric, 6-4, 6-2, and at flight three, where Eladio Fabregas recorded a 6-4, 6-4 victory over freshman Elijah Poritzky, to regain the lead, 3-2.

J.B. Pickard clinched the match for Samford with a 6-4, 6-3 win versus sophomore Emil Westling.

The flight four match was unfinished.  The Bulldog's Yerrassyl Murat won set one, 6-3, then senior James Roelofse evened the contest with a 6-2 victory in set two.  The two were tied, 1-1, in set three when the match ended. 

In doubles action, Mitric and Connel teamed up to beat Bellalouna and Hendrikx, 6-4, at flight one.

Southern Conference Championships - Men's Semifinal (2 p.m. ET)

(2) Furman vs. (3) Samford • 4/22/2022 at Chattanooga, Tenn. • Champions Club

Samford 4, Furman 2

Singles competition

1. M. Ali Bellalouna (SAM) def. Ivan Mitric (FUR) 6-4, 6-2

2. Jamie Connel (FUR) def. Jim Hendrikx (SAM) 6-1, 6-1

3. Eladio Fabregas (SAM) def. Elijah Poritzky (FUR) 6-4, 6-4

4. James Roelofse (FUR) vs. Yerrassyl Murat (SAM) 3-6, 6-2, 1-1, unfinished

5. J.B. Pickard (SAM) def. Emil Westling (FUR) 6-4, 6-3

6. Drew Singerman (FUR) def. Harrison Williams (SAM) 6-0, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. Ivan Mitric/Jamie Connel (FUR) def. M. Ali Bellalouna/Jim Hendrikx (SAM) 6-4

2. Yerrassyl Murat/Harrison Williams (SAM) def. James Roelofse/Emil Westling (FUR) 6-4

3. Eladio Fabregas/Matthew Gooch (SAM) def. Ben Cahill/Drew Singerman (FUR) 6-1

Match Notes: Samford 8-13 • Furman 15-9

Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,6,1,3,5)