Box Score SAN ANTONIO, TX - The NJIT men's tennis team will play for a Southland Conference Championship and berth in the upcoming NCAA Tournament on Sunday as the second-seeded Highlanders defeated sixth-seeded New Orleans 4-0 in the semifinals on Friday. 

The victory improved the Highlanders record to 18-5 this season, while the Privateers wrap up their season with a 7-10 record.

"Another great win!" exclaimed Head Coach Marco Matteucci. "New Orleans is always a tough team, but the guys took care of the match from start to finish." 

NJIT, which also won 4-0 in Thursday's semifinal against #7 Nicholls, took the momentum into Friday's match as the Highlanders quickly went ahead 1-0 with a pair of doubles wins. 

The Highlanders' top pairing of Pablo Perez Ramos and Wil Jenkins won 6-3 and the second doubles tandem of Nejc Skorjanc and Oscar Callo von Platen won 6-4 to clinch the point. 

NJIT needed just three singles wins to clinch the match and recorded them fast as Perez Ramos, Callo von Platen and German Lopez Andujar each earned straight set wins to make the final score and send the Highlanders to their first-ever conference championship match. 

Lopez Andujar was the first winner, dominating his way to a 6-3, 6-2 victory. Callo von Platen quickly followed suit with a 6-2, 6-4 win and then captain Perez Ramos sealed the match with a 6-3, 7-6(5) win over New Orleans' Marcel Volz, who was named the Southland Conference Player of the Year on Thursday.

"We have one more challenge in front of us against UIW in the finals and we will have to go all out again...ROLLTECH!," concluded Matteucci.

The Championship match is slated for 4pm (CT) Saturday, but with rain in the forecast that may change. Check back to NJITHighlanders.com for updates.