CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio – The Capital University men's tennis team split a doubleheader of matches on the road today, playing in hot and sunny conditions for the first time all season. In their first match, Capital shutout hosts Ohio Christian, before falling to Franklin by a score of 5-4. 

Capital is now 7-13 overall on the year. 

"Today, overall went pretty well for our program," said head coach Cody Hurley. "I was very proud of how we competed in both of our matches. I was really impressed by our doubles play today. Individually, Leonardo, Spencer, Colin, and Alex performed well for our team." 

MATCH ONE: Capital wins 7-0
Capital claimed the crucial doubles point with a clean sweep of all three doubles matches. Playing with NAIA rules, the winners of two out of three or better doubles matches wins the doubles point for their team. The Comets got things going at first doubles as Leonardo Abreu and Colin Welch teamed up to win 6-2. Alex Stout and Spencer Surles paired at #2 doubles to win 6-0. #3 doubles went in the favor of Aaron Askew and Jesse Stevens by a score of 6-0. 

In singles competition, Capital faced a little bit of a stiff test, but ultimately cruised to the six individual points. In order from first to sixth singles, Abreu won 7-5, 6-0; Stout won 6-2, 6-2; Surles won 6-0, 6-0; Welch won 6-0, 6-0; Askew won 6-0, 6-0; and Alex Rowley won 6-2, retired. The win for Rowley was the first of his collegiate career. 

MATCH TWO: Franklin wins 5-4
Capital got ahead in doubles scoring, taking two of three points. Abreu and Welch again teamed at #1 doubles to win 8-4. Stout and Surles then again teamed at #2 doubles to win a tough 8-6 match. Stevens and Askew were upended at third doubles 2-8. 

Singles action saw Franklin scrape out four points to claim the win in the end. And by scrape, we literally mean scrape, as two matches were flipped on their heads as Capital had match-point in two matches, but lost them both. 

Winning their bouts were Abreu (6-3, 6-3) and Surles (6-1, 6-4). Stout (2-6, 4-6), and Askew (1-6, 2-6) were upended easily. 

In tight competition, Colin Welch and Jesse Stevens both lost a third set tiebreaker to drop their matches. Welch's scoreline read 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 0-1 (8-10), while Stevens' read 6-1, 6-7 (8-10), 0-1 (5-10). 

UP NEXT
Capital will play host to Marietta College on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. The match will take place at Wolfe Park, here in Columbus.