BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Over the last several weeks, we at SamfordSports.com have been taking a look back at some of the biggest wins by Samford teams throughout the years in a series sponsored by America's First Federal Credit Union. Today, we will continue the series by looking at a big postseason win by the men's tennis team.
 
On April 21, 2013 the Samford men's tennis team earned a 4-3 win over the Elon Phoenix to win the Southern Conference Tournament title and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
With the overall score of the best-of-seven duel deadlocked at 3-3, all eyes shifted to the No. 1 singles match where senior Zac Dunkle of Samford and junior Cameron Silverman of Elon battled in the decisive third set. The winner of the all-important matchup would claim the SoCon Tournament championship.
 
The Bulldogs' Dunkle took the first set, 6-4, but then Elon's Silverman rebounded to win the second frame, 7-5. In the critical third set, the contest was tied at 2-2 before Dunkle tallied a key break and jumped out to a 5-2 advantage. Silverman claimed a final game to make it 5-3, but then Samford's SoCon Tournament run culminated in a fevered celebration as Dunkle posted the final 6-3 victory.

Samford earned its second NCAA Tournament berth in three years and its third conference tournament title since 2008.
 
In singles play, Samford bounced back with a win on court No. 2 as junior Elliot Barnwell cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Stefan Fortmann. Minutes later, Elon's Jordan Kaufman secured a singles win on court No. 4 to give the Phoenix a slight 2-1 advantage.
 
Elon's lead proved to be short-lived once the Bulldogs rattled off back-to-back victories from Austin Akers and Fares Kilani to earn their first lead of the match at 3-2. Akers, Samford's sophomore transfer from the University of Wisconsin, tallied his straight-set singles victory on court No. 5.

Kilani defeated the Phoenix's Robert Lindgren in the No. 3 singles match, 6-4, 6-4. With his dominant victory, Kilani improved his team-best record to 18-6 on the season.

Shortly after Kilani gave Samford its 3-2 advantage, Elon earned a three-set win on court No. 6 to even the score at 3-3.