INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Earlham College men's tennis team accomplished one goal on Saturday and took a step toward another as the Quakers won twice in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.

Earlham opened the day at the West Indy Racquet Club with a 5-0 win over Hanover College, which also counted as the postponed regular season match that gave the Quakers a share of the HCAC title.

The second victory of the day was a 5-2 decision over the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, which put the Quakers into Sunday's HCAC Tournament championship match against eight-time defending champ Transylvania University. The winner earns the HCAC automatic bid into the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

"The Rose-Hulman match was definitely the most intense contest we have played all year," Earlham Head Coach Adam Van Zee said. "The guys fought at every spot. Doubles was back and forth and to be up 2-1 was huge for us."

"We are a little banged up and physically tired, but they will be ready to go," Van Zee added. "Transylvania is hungry to avenge a loss, so we need to be just as intense on Sunday."

Earlier this season, Earlham beat Transylvania 8-1 to end a 68-match HCAC winning streak the Pioneers had that began in 2002.

Against Rose-Hulman, the Quakers reversed a 5-4 regular season loss.

In doubles, Henry Levin (Dallas, TX, Highland Park) and Johnny Kauffman (Goshen, IN, Bethany Christian) defeated Ben Paras and Dallas Burton 8-5 at No. 1, while Andrey Gavrilov (Yaroslavl, Russia, Universal) and Scott Lawrence (Letchworth, England, Cheam) beat Alex Gumz and Devon Fritz 9-7 at No. 3.

Levin won 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 singles and Gavrilov beat David Becerra 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2. Brad Maisey (Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, Tauranga Boys) won 6-1, 6-1 over Gumz at No. 3.

In the Hanover match, Earlham won all three doubles contests and need just two victories in singles to advance.

Levin and Kauffman defeated Peter Tratt and Sam Werne 8-2 at No. 1 doubles. Maisey and Mike Von Vogt (South Bristol, ME, Lincoln Academy) won 8-3 over Kyle Bohnert and Matt Strandmark at No. 2.

At No. 3, Gavrilov and Lawrence beat Chase Ingle and Derek Zimmers 8-1.

In singles, Gavrilov defeated Werne 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2. The other win was Maisey beating Bohnert 6-1, 6-1.

The Quakers (16-3, 7-1) face Transylvania (10-4, 7-1) on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

Some History

A win on Sunday would give the Quakers 17 victories this year, which would be one off the school record in the NCAA era of 18 established in 2003.

The men's tennis team would also be the second Earlham squad to qualify for a NCAA tournament. The 1998 men's soccer team was the first.

With the HCAC co-championship, the men's tennis team joins the women's soccer squad in that achievement this school year. Prior to 2010-11, Earlham's most recent league title was the 1996 North Coast Athletic Coference co-championship in men's cross country.

Hanover Box Score

Rose-Hulman Box Score