The Elon University men’s tennis team dropped its second straight match on Wednesday after losing 4-3 to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The doubles game proved to be the difference as the two teams split the singles matches three apiece.
With the contest tied at three, the deciding match was No. 3 singles. Elon junior Robert Lindgren fought back to win the second set to force a third but lost in a tiebreaker to junior Daniel Mack 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5).
The Spartans jumped ahead winning the doubles point with victories at the top two positions. UNCG senior Randy Phillips and freshman Connor Thompson defeated Elon seniors Stefan Fortmann and Brian Kowalski 8-3 at No. 1 doubles. Senior Jordan Kaufman and Lindgren took sophomores William Albright and Warren Bryan to a tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles but fell short 8-7 (7-2).
The Phoenix responded by winning the first two singles matches of the afternoon. Kowalski defeated Cameron Smith in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 singles. Soon after, senior Jordan Kaufman earned a straight sets victory by beating Thompson at No. 2 singles 6-4, 6-2.
UNCG leveled the match at 2 with a win at No. 6 singles. Albright handled sophomore Chris Humphreys in straight sets 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.
The Spartans then took the lead with senior Randy Phillips’s 17th win at No. 1 singles this season.
Freshman Josh Luck answered back for the Phoenix with a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles.
Elon drops to 8-12 on the year with the loss and 2-6 on the road. Meanwhile, UNCG improves to 11-8.
The Phoenix wraps up its regular season with a weekend visit to East Carolina University on Saturday, April 11 at 1 p.m.