CHARLOTTE – Gardner-Webb began their quest for their first Big South Tournament Crown on Friday as took down #4 Radford by a 4-1 score in the Semifinals. Saturday's match will mark the first appearance in the Tournament finals in school history as they will face the winner of #2 Campbell/#3 Presbyterian.
 
"Today was a great match and Radford played well," said Head Coach Mike Griffith. "It could have gone either way, but we were able to win yet another doubles point and start our day ahead."
 
Gardner-Webb secured the first point of the day with wins on the lower courts in doubles action. Numa Lemieux-Monette and Victor Putter got ahead 4-0 on court #2 and won the match by a 6-2 final. Radford won 6-3 on court #1 to bring it back even. However, Cathal Butler and Sebastian Harris put a comfortable margin early and won the point behind a 6-3 decision.
 
In singles, each match saw one player take control very early getting ahead to large advantages with the first three matches finishing within five minutes of each other. Kim Niethammer had the biggest margin of the day as he won his match on court #4 by a 6-0, 6-2 decision. Radford got the topflight decision to get their lone point of the day. In #2 singles, GWU's Alex Lepine won 6-3, 6-3 to put them a point away from their spot in tomorrow's finals.
 
Victor Putter provided the clincher as he secured it on court #4 by a 6-3, 6-1 scoreline. Putter sealed it on an overhand winner to finish the day's action.
 
Courts #3 and #6 went unfinished with Lemieux-Monette heading to a third set at #3. He dropped the first 3-6 and bounced back in the second with a 6-2 victory with the third set yet to start. Harris was leading 6-1, 4-5 when his match was called.
 
Saturday's championship match is scheduled to take place at 3:00 p.m. from Mario Diehl Park. The Runnin' Bulldogs will find out their opponent in it later this afternoon with the second semifinal match currently underway with #2 Campbell and #3 Presbyterian facing off.