BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. –  Sixth-seeded North Carolina A&T won its first men's tennis postseason match in 17 years when it defeated the third-seeded Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs, 4-3, in the first round of the Big South Conference Men's Tennis Championship Tournament Friday afternoon. 

With the Aggies and the Bulldogs tied at 3, A&T freshman Ian Pedersen scored the final nine points against Connor Enslin 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 to clinch the historic win. The Aggies last conference tournament win came on April 21, 2005, in a 4-2 win over Norfolk State in the Mid-Eastern-Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament in Altamonte Spring, Fla. 

The Aggies, who improved to 12-9 on the season, advanced to the semifinals starting noon, Saturday, April 23, against No. 2 Radford at Marion Diehl Tennis Center in Charlotte, N.C.

As Pedersen and Enslin walked out on the court to start the final set, GWU's Alex Lepine had just defeated freshman Jorge Perez 7-5, 6-1 at No. 5 singles leading to the deciding match.   

 "I wasn't nervous," Pedersen said on playing the final set. 

"I handle the pressure really well. I missed maybe five points total in the final set. I was very focused."

Friday marked the third time this season that Pedersen broke a 3-3 tie. Pedersen came up short against Queens University after falling 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 at the No. 5 singles position, but against Davidson, Pedersen won his match 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 6 to give A&T its first win against the Wildcats in eight tries. Pedersen is 9-11 during his freshman campaign. 

Before Pedersen's clinching match, the Aggies forfeited the doubles point to give GWU a 1-0 edge. However, junior Esteban Lopez quickly responded at No. 1 singles with a straight-set 6-2, 6-3 win over Eduardo Dias. Lopez avenged his earlier loss to Dias, a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 defeat on April 2. 

"I played amazing," said Lopez, who improved to 14-5 on the season. "I was super locked in. I gave everything for my team to win. I lost to him two weeks ago. I knew how he played, and I knew I had to stay on top of him. It was a quick match, but I played amazing."

Freshman Eder Blanco extended his incredible winning streak to nine as he won at No. 3 singles, 6-3, 6-2, over Chrisjan Van Wyk. Blanco won the second set by scoring the last three points as the Aggies took a 2-1 lead. 

Senior Vasil Ivanov also entered tournament play on an eight-match winning streak. He, too, extended his winning streak by defeating Victor Putter 6-3, 6-4 at No. 2 singles. Ivanov won four of the final six points to win the first set before winning four of the last five points to win the second. 

Ivanov improved to 15-5 on the season. He is one singles win away from tying the school's single-season record for singles wins, which Damon Martin set in 2006 with 16.

"I played against this opponent two weeks ago," Ivanov said. "I was familiar with his game. I knew that I had to start strong and, of course, start strong and finish stronger. That's my mindset. That's how I play. I fight for every point." 

Freshman Ethan Baly could have clinched at No. 4 singles but lost a spirited three-setter to Sebastian Harris, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Baly won the final two points of set No. 1, but Harris battled to win, putting the Bulldogs down 3-2 before GWU tied the match at No. 5 singles.  

A&T lost to Radford 6-1 in Radford, Va. On Feb. 26. The only Aggie to win was Ivanov at No. 2 singles. After losing the Highlanders, A&T won 12 of its next 16 matches, including Friday's win at Gardner-Webb.