Panthers Snap Yellow Jackets Three-Match Winning Streak

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College men's tennis team played its final match of the regular season on Saturday morning, as the squad hosted Hanover in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference matchup. The Panthers were too strong on this day and defeated DC by a final of 9-0.

Unlike the previous three HCAC matches, the Yellow Jackets were unable to get off to a fast start in doubles play against Hanover. The Purple and Gold fell in all three matches to put themselves in an early 3-0 hole. Cord Speelman and Ryan Nelson nearly won at the one doubles position but came up just short, falling by a score of 8-6.

In singles action, Defiance was competitive at the top of the lineup, as the numbers one and two matches went into a third set super-tiebreaker. Unfortunately for the Jackets, neither DC player was able to pull out the victory as Nelson fell at one singles by a final of 6-4, 2-6, 11-9 and Speelman dropped the two singles match 6-3, 5-7, 10-5.

The other four matches were not nearly as competitive. The Purple and Gold lost each of the bottom four singles matches in straight-set fashion to the visitors from Hanover.

The loss gives Defiance a final regular season record of 8-11 and a mark in the Heartland of 4-5. The Jackets will go into the HCAC Tournament as the six seed and will most likely meet Franklin in the first round in the three versus six matchup. The match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 4 at the West Indy Racquet Club in Indianapolis.