March 30, 2008

Baltimore, Md. - The Loyola men's and women's tennis teams dropped non-conference decisions at George Mason on Sunday afternoon. The men fell in a hard-fought 4-3 match, while the women were defeated by a 6-1 score.

The men played a nail-biting doubles competition, falling just short of the point. After a loss at No.1, Matt McDaniel and Tim Koch won 8-3 at No.2. It would be at No. 3 doubles where the point would be decided and Doug Alban and Dan D'Agostino teamed up for an 8-game pro-set thriller that ended in defeat.

In singles play, Koch won a 7-5, 7-5 match at No. 4, rallying to win both sets. Alban and D'Agostino were impressive in straight set wins at Nos. 5 and 6 to the give the Greyhounds three points, but a hard-fought three-set loss by McDaniel at No. 3 singles dropped the match.

The women earned their point when Joy Johnson won a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 match at No. 3 singles. Senior co-captain Meaghan McKenna and sophomore Lauren Cassle, however, played strong matches at No. 5 and No. 6 singles respectively.

McKenna fell 6-1, 1-6, 10-7 in a tiebreaker, while Cassle dropped a highly contested 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) match.

The men are now 7-4 on the year, while the women are 6-4 overall. Both teams return to action and to MAAC play when they host Siena on Saturday at the Butler Courts.