The Northwest Missouri State men’s tennis team advanced to the MIAA Men’s Tennis Finals with a 5-0 win over Truman State on Saturday as the Bearcats will look for their third consecutive championship at the Plaza Tennis Center.

The 26th-ranked Bearcats improved to 18-4 on the year as they shutout Truman for the second time this season. Northwest will take on Southwest Baptist in Sunday’s MIAA Championship match for the fourth time in the last six seasons.

SBU and Northwest are each 2-2 against each other in the four MIAA Championships since 2007. Northwest also took the regular season meeting between their purple Bearcat foes in rather easy fashion winning 5-1

On Saturday Northwest jumped out to an early 3-0 lead taking No. 3 and No. 2 doubles with ease. At No. 3 doubles Calvin Patterson and Luis Altimires breezed to an 8-0 win while Rafael Bugiga and Guilherme Narducci took an 8-2 win at No. 2 doubles.

In singles the Bearcats took wins at No. 2 and No. 4 singles to claim the 5-0 win.

Mario Jakovljevic bested Jake Ohlhausen 6-0, 6-3 to give Northwest a 4-0 lead before Guilherme Narducci claimed a 6-2, 6-1 win.

— NWMSU Sports Information —