Box Score DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College men's tennis team lost to Wilkes University 5-4 in a NCAA First Round match Friday afternoon at the Bay Road Tennis Club in Amherst, Massachusetts.

The Bison (15-7) dropped two of the three doubles matches, falling behind 1-2 going into singles competition. The only win in doubles play came at the No. 2 spot with seniors Blake Norton and Sebastian Penaloza defeating Braddock Chow and Michael Ellis with a score of 8-6.

The Colonels (15-6) went on to take a commanding 4-1 lead by quickly taking the No. 1 and four singles with a 6-3, 6-1 win by Courtney Murphy at the No. 1 spot and a 6-3, 6-1 victory at the No. 4 spot. The Bison battled back starting with a win at the No. 2 singles from Guilherme Barbosa and a three-set win from junior Brandon Howard. Howard won set one 6-4, before his opponent Chris Maderitz took set two 6-3. Howard ultimately came out on top winning set three 6-3 to make the team score 4-3 in favor of the Colonels. Nichols junior Peter Coletti tied the match at four a piece after a 6-0, 6-4 win at the No. 5 singles. Wilkes went on to take the match point at the No. 6 singles with a 6-4, 6-1 win from Mike Ellis.

Wilkes University will continue on to the NCAA Second Round, with a matchup against the number four ranked team in the nation, Amherst College, Saturday afternoon.