by Doug Page
WILSON, N.C. – Despite taking a 2-1 lead after the completion of doubles play, the Barton College Bulldogs dropped a 6-3 decision against the Mercyhurst University Lakers at home on Thursday in a non-conference men's tennis matchup.
Barton (1-6) had a strong start to the match against the Lakers after tallying victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles position but would drop four singles matches. Mercyhurst (6-1) got back into the win column against the Bulldogs after seeing its five-match winning streak snapped on Wednesday.
In doubles action, Barton's Jesus Gil and Diego Agudelo tallied the first point of the match after recording an 8-4 win at the No. 2 spot. Hugh Ryder and Alessandro Gerbino followed by giving BC its second point of the doubles competition with an 8-3 victory against the Lakers.
The Lakers tallied their lone point before heading into singles action at the No. 1 position as the tandem of Nenad Terzic and Cormac McCooey handed the Bulldogs' Rory Gaydon and Oscar Marmestedt an 8-0 defeat.
In singles action, Gerbino would tally a win for the Bulldogs at the No. 5 position with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Sebastian Pardo. Marmestedt battled in the No. 2 position for BC as he rallied to knot his match 1-1 after winning 6-4 in the second set. Ruairidh Fraser would prevail with a 10-4 victory in the third set.
The Lakers notched a pair of 6-1, 6-1 victories at the No. 3 and No. 6 positions, while Gil dropped a 6-4, 6-4 decision at the No. 4 spot against Mercyhurst's Unai Amilleta Gonzalez.
The Bulldogs host Edinboro University in a non-conference matchup on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. at the BC Tennis Complex.
