MOBILE, Ala. -The fourth-seeded Embry-Riddle men's tennis team went up 2-1 after doubles, but for the second time in as many tries, the top-seeded team from Fresno Pacific (21-1) was able to answer with four victories in singles play to earn a 5-2 win and a berth in the championship match of the NAIA National Tournament.

FPU took an early lead when Martin Vaisse and Maxime Adam earned an 8-4 win over Charlie Rice and Zander Woodford-Smith at No. 3 doubles. Peter Francis and Istvan Bolgar got off to a slow start, falling behind 3-0 early, but the ERAU tandem settled into their game plan and bounced back to defeat the 19^th-ranked pair from FPU, 8-6.

The Sunbirds' Xavier Smith and Alex Gonzalez entered the tournament as the No. 2 doubles team in the country, but on Friday, they were outdone by Jan Hoekzema and Adrian Bayh who registered an 8-4 win to put the Eagles ahead 2-1.

Fresno Pacific pulled the Sunbirds level at 2-2 when Vaisse downed Rice 6-1, 6-2. Each of the matches at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 singles need three sets to be decided. At the top spot, Hoekzema fell behind second-ranked Smith 6-1 in the first set, but came back to take the second 6-2. In the third set, Smith got the better of the seventh-ranked Embry-Riddle junior, taking the match with a 6-2 decision.

Francis pulled out a hard-fought 7-5 victory in the first set at No. 2 singles, but Gonzalez managed to rally and win the next two stanzas 6-2, 6-3 to put the Sunbirds up 4-2.

The Fresno Pacific clincher came at the fifth position where Adam bested Bolgar 6-3, 7-5 to close out the match.

"I'm very proud of how our guys performed today," ERAU Head Coach Dave Paschal said. "I thought they gave a great effort. Yesterday's match took a lot of emotions and energy and we did well coming out strong in doubles, but it was hard to keep that energy up with the heat and a very good opponent.

It's been a special year for these guys and getting back to the semis is a great accomplishment after losing one of our top players a month ago. But what great fight and resilience these guys had at this tournament."

Despite the disappointing of not being able to move past the semifinal round, the Eagles still had a great deal to celebrate in 2010. In addition to winning their sixth consecutive regular season title and their second straight conference tournament crown, the Blue and Gold recorded is first 20-win campaign since 2005, closing out the season 20-6.