The College of Wooster men's tennis team suffered a pair of losses to Division II teams at Aspen Racquet Club to start its 2022 campaign.

The men took a 4-3 loss to West Liberty University and later in the day fell 4-3 to Ashland University.

The West Liberty match had its fair share of excitement to start the day as it came down to the wire at No. 3 singles.

Getting there, the No. 3 doubles team of Shivam Dewan and Nivaan Lobo took a 6-4 win, but West Liberty took the point in doubles play with 6-3 wins at No. 1 and No. 2.

Wooster tied the match 3-3 with wins at No. 1, No. 5 and No. 6.

Senior Alon Liberman came back in the No. 1 flight after splitting the first two sets 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (9). Classmate Nebyou Minassie won in the No. 5 flight 6-4, 6-3 and first-year Patrick Johnson took a 6-2, 6-1 win the No. 6 flight.

The deciding match came at the No. 3 flight between junior Alex Drewes and Isfandiyor Makhumudov. Drewes tried to force a third set after sending the second into a tiebreaker but couldn't extend the match in a 6-3, 7-6 (3) defeat.

Against Ashland, the outcomes ended up being almost identical. The Eagles took the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3, while the No. 1 flight went unfinished due to time.

Drewes won by retirement after a 6-3 first set at the No. 3 flight. Johnson took another win at the No. 6 spot with a 6-2, 7-5 outcome. 

Liberman won an ironman of a third set to finish his rally at the No. 1 flight 4-6 (5), 7-5, 1-0 (13).

Minassie was on the other end of an extended third set in the No. 4 flight, falling 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10). Elsewhere, Hanna lost in the No. 2 flight 6-1, 6-3, and Dewan could not climb back in a second set rally in the No. 4 flight 6-3, 7-6 (4).

Next up for the Scots, they travel to John Carroll University on Feb. 19.