The College of Wooster men's tennis team's perfect start to a season didn't come to an end until its final match of the annual trip to Hilton Head, S.C. (March 11-20), when St. Lawrence University edged the Fighting Scots 6-3. Prior to that, Wooster had won its first eight matches, five coming in Hilton Head, which marks the program's best start to a season this decade.

Highlighting the six matches over spring break was a 5-4 victory over then-regionally-ranked Transylvania University. The Scots also cruised past Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham 9-0, Hobart College 7-2, and Messiah College 9-0, and earned a hard-fought 5-4 decision over a traditionally strong Macalester College squad.

Jeremy Dominik and Matt Hoch were singles winners in all five matches Wooster won. Dominik, playing at the No. 2 position, prevailed in straight sets in all but one of those, including key 6-3, 6-4 and 7-5, 6-4 wins against Transylvania and Macalester, respectively. Hoch started out at No. 5 and ascended to No. 3 by the end of the trip after yielding just 14 games combined in his first four matches. Then, he defeated a Macalester opponent 6-3, 7-5 in his first start at the third slot.

Playing at No. 1 was Pat Grab, who went a solid 3-3 in six challenging matches. Steve Conroy also split his six matches, shuffling between the No. 3 and No. 4 positions, and Ethan Arenstein triumphed in four singles matches, highlighted by a 6-4, 1-6, 1-0 (12-10) victory against St. Lawrence. Matt Mandell and Chris Collen split time at the sixth slot, with Mandell winning three times and Collen twice.

In doubles action, Dominik and Hoch improved to 9-0 on the season by rolling to six victories at No. 2. Their closest matches were 8-5 decisions over Transylvania and St. Lawrence. At the top of the order, Grab and Arenstein were also very successful, posting five wins in the six matches.

The Scots' 2009 campaign continues Thursday at Ohio Northern University (2-4).