Titas Bera

Jack Buchan

The College of Wooster men's tennis team continued its unfortunate series of heartbreakers on Friday, as the Fighting Scots lost 5-4 for the third time in five matches and sixth time overall in 2016, this time to Ohio Wesleyan University in a contest that was moved to Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, due to the rainy weather.

Wooster (9-14) got off to a good start, winning the top-two doubles matches decisively to head into singles play with a 2-1 lead. The Jack Buchan-Davis Elkins team triumphed 8-3 at No. 1, while the Titas Bera-Harrison Suttle allowed just two games to their opposition at No. 2 (8-2).

Ohio Wesleyan (8-10) tied the team score at two with a quick victory at third singles, then Bera put the Scots back ahead with a strong 6-4, 6-1 win over Shouta Fukamachi at the top flight. Both players have been regionally-ranked at times during the season.

The remaining four singles matches all went the distance. Buchan's hard-fought 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 victory at No. 2 gave Wooster a 4-2 lead at the time, thus needing just one more third set to go its way. The Battling Bishops, though, prevailed in all three 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 at No. 4, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 at No. 5, and 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 at No. 6.

The Scots will try to shake it off quickly, as they close their regular season on Saturday with a visit from Wabash College (17-12).