GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Guilford College men's tennis team (1-3, 1-2 ODAC) faced a tough challenge on Saturday afternoon, falling 6-1 to No. 16 Washington and Lee University (7-1, 4-0 ODAC) in an ODAC showdown at the Dorothy Ragsdale McMichael '37 Centennial Class Courts.
 
The Quakers battled hard in doubles play but were unable to secure the opening point. At the top spot, the pairing of Andres Mercedes (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) and Brandon Hermes (West Hartford, Conn.) pushed Will Kislter and Sanjheev Rao to the limit, ultimately edging out a 7-6 (7-3) victory. However, the Generals took control in the remaining doubles matchups. Ryan Good and James Hurani handed Henry Austin (Winterville, N.C.) and Emmanuel Oye (Clayton, N.C.) a 6-2 defeat at No.2, while Eli Hirshberg and Heys Parker bested Rylan Tuten (Asheville, N.C.) and Emmanuel Oye (Clayton, N.C.), 6-3, at No. 3 to clinch the double point for the Generals.
 
Despite the early deficit, Guilford sought to mount a response in singles play. Mercedes delivered a highlight performance in the No. 1 position, securing a 7-5, 6-1 triumph over Kurani. The Quakers, however, struggled to gain further ground, as Washington and Lee closed out the remaining matches. At No. 2 singles, Hermes put up a strong fight but fell 7-5, 6-4 to Kistler. Austin was unable to find momentum at No. 3, dropping a 6-0, 6-1 decision to Hirshberg. Parker continued the Generals' dominance at No. 4 with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Tuten. Wong battled but fell 6-2, 6-1 to Rao in the fifth slot, while Oye forced a competitive tiebreak in the second set at No. 6 before ultimately losing 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) to Good.
 
The men's tennis team will look to bounce back in seven days, as they host Roanoke College in a classic ODAC clash. Start time is set for 1 P.M.
 
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