The Elon University men’s tennis team’s eight match winning streak is over, as the Phoenix lost 5-2 against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 49ers. 

The Phoenix had a chance to win the match as the last two singles matches went to a final set. However, graduate student Kyle Frankel and junior Nicholas Condos were unable to get Elon the two points it needed for victory. 

Head coach Michael Leonard said he was disappointed with the team’s energy and that the team needed a better start in several of its matches. 

“We can control effort and energy and our footwork and being engaged, and a couple guys didn’t come out like that. They gradually got there but it took 30 minutes in doubles or 30 minutes in singles and you just can’t do that against these quality teams.” 

Charlotte is currently ranked 45th in the International Tennis Association Top 75 rankings, which ranks the best teams in Division I based on an algorithm, while Elon is unranked. While Phoenix had a chance to win in the final two singles matches, Leonard said the team did not play as well as he had hoped.

“I really did think if we played the way we’re capable, we had a shot,” Leonard said. “The opportunity was there, we just, for whatever reason, weren’t quite sharp enough to do it.” 

Elon earned the doubles point to go ahead 1-0 after Frankel and sophomore Ben Zipay won 7-4 in a tiebreak in the final match. 

Sophomore Daniel Martin won Elon’s lone singles match with a 7-5, 6-2 victory in the number two position. Martin has now won his last eight singles matches and has a 9-2 singles record. Leonard said his versatility and consistency have been the key to his recent success. 

“He knows when to play offense, he knows when to play defense,” Leonard said. “He doesn’t just randomly miss balls so when guys are playing him, they’ve got to work their butt off to beat him.” 

In addition to Frankel and Condos, Zipay also lost his singles match in a third set in the number six position, as did junior Nicholas Campbell in the number three spot. Senior Camilo Ponce lost in straight sets on court four. 

Elon travels to face 65th ranked Clemson University on Sunday, who Charlotte defeated earlier this season. The match will begin at 4 p.m.