NEW ORLEANS - The bid for a spot in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship fell short on Saturday, as Appalachian State University men's tennis (14-7) fell to the second-seeded South Alabama Jaguars, 4-1, at City Tennis Park Center in New Orleans.

Appalachian started strong claiming the doubles point, but the Jaguars (15-11) racked up the four singles matches they needed to move onto the finals to face No. 5 seed UT Arlington, who upset top-seeded Georgia State in the semifinals earlier in the day.

Much like Friday's quarterfinals win over Troy, the match was close throughout where five of six singles contests went to three sets and two of three doubles matches were decided by two points or less.

The Mountaineers got off to a strong start in the doubles portion, capturing two of three matches and heading into singles action with a 1-0 lead.

Scott Webster and Jan-Willem Kleynhans got back to their winning ways and started the day off on the right foot with a 6-3 triumph over  Olivier Gingras and Gerhard Gruindelingh at No. 1 doubles.

Oliver Casey and Jack Maddocks clinched the doubles point with a tough 7-5 toppling over Olivier Gingras/Gerhard Gruindelingh in a clash of No. 2's.    

The Jaguars responded in singles action taking the first two matches and a 2-1 advantage. Klenynhans claimed the first set in a tiebreak 7-6 (6-8) before falling in the next two sets, 6-3, 6-4 to Dallas Teague as the No. 5. Casey fell short as the No. 2 in the lineup to Juan Trogila 7-5, 6-3.

USA kept the momentum en route to a 3-1 lead following Zach Bost's three-set defeat to Gerhard Gruindelingh, 6-4, 7-5. 6-3. The Georgia native fell in the first set before roaring back and forcing a third and final frame at the five spot.    

The two-point deficit wasn't as much a hurdle as most would think. Appalachian came back from a 3-1 deficit in the regular-season finale while Trey Morris, Maddocks and Webster kept their matches close in the a match-deciding third set.

Maddocks kept battling despite falling in the first set and came back to force a third frame. However, Gingras captured the final frame 6-4 to advance the Jags' to the Sun Belt Finals.

Despite the setback, the Apps did have a successful season, where they racked up the most wins since the 2012 campaign and picked up their first-ever Sun Belt Tournament win. Appalachian does lose its four seniors in Bost, Kleynhans, Casey and Steve Lake (Boone, N.C.), but returns the likes of Webster, Maddocks and Morris.