HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Golden Eagle men's tennis advanced to the Mountain East Conference Men's Tennis Tournament Championship after pulling off a 5-3 upset of top-seeded West Liberty University on Saturday afternoon at the Huntington Indoor Tennis Center.
                                                       
UC had dropped a 6-3 decision to the Hilltoppers in the regular season but knew they could compete with the Atlantic Region's No. 2 ranked team entering Saturday's semifinal match.  Charleston showed their grit and determination by scratching out all three double courts, two by tiebreaker and the other a 9-7 victory to put UC in control going into singles play with a 3-0 lead. 
 
West Liberty picked up their first court of the afternoon as Matt Tully earned a straight set win at No. 4 singles over Dominic Centofanti then drew within one point with Santiago Gutierrez winning at No. 2 over Charleston's Ben Lakeman.  Charleston put themselves one point away from getting the upset with Jamie Gibson's victory at No. 5 singles against Luke Flanagan to set up Alek Gracin's match clinching win at No. 3 singles as West Liberty's Camilo Moncayo was forced to retire in the 3^rd set due to injury with Gracin leading the match 4-2. 
 
UC will face the winner of the West Virginia Wesleyan College/Fairmont State University match that was being played immediately following the Golden Eagle upset.
 
Charleston 5, West Liberty 3
Doubles
#1 Foote/Centofanti (UC) def. Perrin/Gutierrez (WLU), 9-8 (10-2)
#2 Lakeman/Gracin (UC) def. Tully/Flanagan (WLU), 9-7
#3 Humphrey/Prince (UC) def. Cimorra/Moncayo (WLU), 9-8 (10-5)
 
Singles
#1 Baptiste Perrin (WLU) def. Alec Foote (UC), 7-6 (1), 7-5
#2 Santiago Gutierrez (WLU) def. Ben Lakeman (UC), 6-4, 6-0
#3 Alek Gracin (UC) def. Camilo Moncayo (WLU) 6-7 (0), 6-3, 4-2 ret.
#4 Matt Tully (WLU) def. Dominick Centofanti (UC), 6-2, 6-4
#5 Jamie Gibson (UC) def. Luke Flanagan (WLU), 6-2, 6-2
 
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,2,5,1,3)